One Plus One Equals One
by jrrm64
Summary: Takes place two months after the final episode One.
1. Chapter 1

**This takes place two months after the series finale One. **

**One + One = One**

**Prologue**

Charlie Crews looked into the mirror. He saw a man with haunted green eyes and copper red hair that had grown a little too long and now on top of that he had a goatee to match his hair. His skin wasn't so much tanned as red, though it wasn't painful. It just looked painful. Tanning was something his Celtic genes didn't allow.

San Jose del Cabo was located in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Once he had been suspended for insubordination, recklessness, and endangerment; he got in his car and drove and drove for days ending up there basically because he ran out of land. He rented a stone beach cottage right on East Cape for six month outright and then he attempted to lose himself for a while. Better off to be in Mexico than in a prison cell.

Though there was enough to bring him up on charges that could lead to jail time, he had actually saved the life of fellow LA Police Detective Dani Reese, had the Police Benevolent Association behind him, as well as ADA Constance Griffiths, who had once been the lawyer that proved Charlie was innocent of murder after he served twelve years in Pelican Bay, argued against bringing him up on charges. Her reasoning was simple: he'd already won a fifty million dollar settlement, so why give him the chance at more money. Of course, once they found the burned body of Roman Nevikov, they settled on an indefinite suspension. If he wanted back on the department this time, he'd have to apply for reinstatement, stand in front of a board and argue for his badge back. There was no proof that Charlie Crews killed Nevikov, but the consensus believed he had.

He left before he found out that the suspension was merely indefinite. Charlie was still working under the impression that charges might be brought up against him. When he thought charges and possible jail time was still on the menu, he ran. There was no way he was going back into a cell.

He didn't say goodbye to anyone, except sending an e-mail to Ted Earley, who not only handled his finances but had become his de facto best friend. Ted was off to Spain chasing Charlie's father's runaway bride Olivia Canton. He let Ted know if he convinced Olivia to return to the US then they should take one of the many empty bedrooms in his mansion.

He left behind his partner Dani Reese. Charlie had grown close to Reese, real close. When she was kidnapped he discovered something almost miraculous to him and that was he had fallen in love with her. He didn't know how Reese felt about him, though he suspected the feelings were not reciprocated. She was involved with their Captain in Homicide. It seemed that Captain Tidwell and Reese were well matched and she was finding equilibrium and he couldn't interfere with that. Hell, he would love to find equilibrium in his own life.

"Another beer and tequila chaser," he said with a goofy smile on his face to the female bartender in the Cantina he frequented.

"Here," she placed a sweaty bottle of Dos Equis in front of him then she poured more tequila into his glass. "You seem lonely."

"Really," he smiled again. "One of the most influential figures in Japanese Buddhism Hakuin Ekaku once said: Two hands clap and there is a sound. What is the sound of one hand?"

The war between his two natures, Charlie the con and Charlie the once straight cop, was held in check by his obsession with Zen, which he developed in solitary at Pelican Bay. Zen focused him on the present and allowed the darkness that lay just below the surface to only visit occasionally. It kept the con in check.

"You are strange," she said then offered him an inviting smile.

He had to admit that she was attractive, rich brown skin, black hair, deep brown eyes, but his mind was preoccupied with two people: Dani Reese, the partner he fell in love with and Mickey Rayborn, the man behind most of the evil shit that had happened to him. He wondered if Dani missed him and if she did would she forgive him for not saying goodbye. As for Rayborn the darkness was revenge not only for the death of his friends but for the end of his marriage and the regret and sadness he felt over his mother dying without seeing him free and proven innocent. Innocent? Maybe that was the wrong word to use in regard to him now. He was no longer innocent and never could be again. There was too much darkness he'd done in prison to survive.

"Yes," he smiled.

He shot down the tequila and then took a long swig of his beer.

"Why don't you come home, Charlie?" the familiar voice of Rachel Seybolt asked him.

He turned to see her standing behind him. She looked tanned and healthy. It was her family he was accused of killing. She was the only survivor and ended up being raised by the man who killed her father, mother, and brother. When he finally put Kyle Hollis in prison, he tracked Rachel down and had her live with him until Roman threatened her then he sent her off with a good deal of money and access to more.

"How did you find me, Rachel?" he asked.

"Ted," she said then sat down and took his beer away from him and took a swig. "He is paying your credit card bills."

"Oh, that's right," he smiled.

Maybe he had a few too many beers and tequilas. He started around noon and a look out the window told him it was dusk.

"Are you back at home?" he asked.

"Yup. Once I heard about Roman Nevikov I thought it was safe to return, but you were gone and Ted was living in the house with Olivia," she told him.

"So, she returned with him. Good," he said.

"You look shabby, Charlie," she said.

"Jizo was approached by a student who said: My teacher instructs me to shut my eyes to evil and see no evil thing; to cover my ears and hear no evil sound; to stop my mind activities and form no wrong ideas. Jizo said: But I do not see a thing. I do not ask you to cover your ears, but do not hear a sound. I do not ask you to cease your mind activities, but you do not form any idea at all," he said. "I like Jizo."

"Okay," she sighed not really following him or wanting to follow him. "Are you coming home?"

"Did you know there is a fruit in Mexico called the star apple, or caimito? It has thick sticky pulp that they puree and add to the cream when making ice cream. It's delicious," he said.

"What's keeping you down here, Charlie?" she asked.

"I don't want to go back to prison," he said.

"Ted told me to tell you that the LAPD have indefinitely suspended you and that they are not pursuing charges," she said with a smile.

He took the beer back from her and finished it off: "I guess I'm going back to Los Angeles."

"About time, Charlie," Rachel said.

LIFE

Dani Reese was more shocked than anyone when she discovered that she had fallen in love with Charlie Crews. She was so shocked it didn't register for days, as she was forced to sit in a hospital bed being treated for dehydration, exhaustion and maltreatment. When she got out of the hospital the first person she went to see was Charlie. She opened his unlocked door and saw that his mansion was empty. Next she went into the office to check on where Crews was and that was when she heard the news that he was currently suspended and there were talks of charges being pursued against him. Immediately, she knew where Charlie was, he was on the run. She saw the expression on Charlie's face when he visited a prison. He was never going back into one as an inmate.

"Why didn't you protect him?" she asked as she Kevin Tidwell as she stormed into his office. "You are his captain. You should have protected him." She wanted to say you should have protected him like he protected me.

"Listen, babe, I was a little concerned with your health so I let Crews handle himself for a few days. I didn't realize how many people wanted him railroaded and stuck in a hole," Tidwell defended himself.

She glared at Tidwell and his disheveled self. No matter how hard she tried he always looked like he was on the final leg of an eighteen hour shift. In her mind she compared that with Charlie who was always well groomed, neat, and smelled of expensive cologne.

"Don't call me, babe," the petite, fierce, yet sensuous and beautiful Dani Reese growled.

She was half Irish and half Persian with chocolate brown eyes, black hair, a pinched nose, and full lips which biting insults easily escaped from. Dani was tough, strong willed, volatile, but she had two weaknesses: she was a drunk and drinking led her to sleep with nameless and faceless men.

"Do you know where he went to?" she asked.

"No. He just disappeared. Believe me I reached out to him but he was gone, honey," he said.

"Stop calling me honey. Crews is my partner. I don't want any other but him," she said.

"Well, you might not have choice, Dani, because even if he does come back, it's going to take a lot to get him reinstated," Tidwell said. "And if he does comeback I doubt you'll be partnered with him."

"You're an idiot," she seethed then stormed out of his office.

Tidwell sighed then sat down behind his desk. He knew that Dani was close to her partner but now he was wonder just how close they were.

LIFE

Wearing a grey pullover cotton Baja beach hoodie and jeans, Charlie opened the door and walked into his still sparsely furnished home. Rachel walked past him and up the stairs to her room. After driving in a car with him for four days she needed some time alone.

Ted and Olivia came out of the kitchen. Charlie could see the big grin on his former prison mate's face. Ted walked over to him and talked soft enough not to be overheard.

"Good having you home, Charlie. You look like a beachcomber," Ted said then whispered: "I hope you don't mind Olivia staying here with us."

"I told you it was okay, Ted," he replied.

With a sincere smile on her face Olivia came over to Ted and Charlie. Now that she wasn't marrying his father Charlie could see himself liking her more.

"Thanks, Charlie, for letting me stay here," Olivia said.

He gave her a lopsided grin: "No problem. Ted, can I speak to you for a moment."

He and Ted moved off to a large room with only a black leather armchair in it. Charlie looked at the room. After nine weeks living in a small stone cottage, which had more furniture than his mansion, it now struck him as odd to have such a big room with only one piece of furniture in it.

"We should get a couch for this room," he said.

Ted looked at him as if he was just a little crazy, but didn't voice it: "Okay, Charlie."

"I need a lawyer, Ted, a good lawyer," he said.

"Why, Charlie?" Ted asked.

"I want to get reinstated as a detective," Charlie grinned.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter One

For the past six weeks Dani had been paired with Det. Jane Seever. Both women had partnered with Charlie Crews, so some of the other homicide detectives took to calling them Crews' Exs which didn't go over well with either woman. With her eidetic memory Seever was getting on Dani's nerves more than even Charlie did with his talk of Zen and fruit.

"According to his record Bobby Manning two parking tickets and one speeding ticket. He's hardly nefarious. I'm not sure I make him as our killer," Seever said.

A sincere smile broke across her attractive African American face. Dani snarled at her. She missed Charlie and his tangents that led to breaks in the case. Releasing a pent up sigh, she looked around the squad room then notice ADA Constance Griffiths and several police captains in uniform and Police Commander Morton Hall, a friend of Dani's father, Jack Reese. They headed into Captain Tidwell's office. The door was shut and a heated discussion ensued.

Next, two people Dani saw entered the squad room area was Mickey Rayborn and his security specialist Amanda Puryer. Mickey, who once red hair had plenty of grey lightening it, had his usual unctuous smile plastered to his face. When he saw Seever, who took credit for his so-called rescue from Roman Nevikov, he and his pet security specialist came over to their desks.

"Det. Seever, have you made sergeant yet for rescuing me?" he chuckled. "I heard it should happen any day."

Seever looked slightly embarrassed but answered him: "There has been talk."

"Why have you crawled out from under your rock, Rayborn?" Dani spat the words at him.

"Oh, if it isn't daddy's girl Dani Reese," he smiled.

It was a predator's smile, which sent a chill down Dani's spine.

"Have you spoken to Jack lately? I've been wanting to talk to him," said Rayborn.

"I haven't seen him," she said coldly.

"Have you seen Charlie?" the smile crept across his lips like a black widow smile.

"No," she said.

"You will be seeing him soon. He's coming here today with a high priced lawyer trying to get his suspension lifted in front of a board of inquiry. I'm a character witness," he laughed.

Dani hoped her face remained un-flushed and calm, even as she heart beat increased. The last time she saw Crews he was standing with his face pointed towards the sun. This was one of his habits basking in the sun for a moment or two before or after dealing with something difficult or violent. His years in prison had given him an appreciation for fruit and sun, two sources of vitamin D, not vitamin D was the reason he was obsessed with either the sun or fruit. The denial of both for twelve years was his inspiration.

"Why is the board being held here?" asked Seever.

"In order to keep the press away," answered Puryer curtly.

"It seems, Charlie, still wants to be a detective. Shame really. He's capable of so much more, as Roman Nevikov found out," chuckled Rayborn then he noticed the man of the hour and his lawyer entered.

Wearing a Tom Ford blue suit, a Tag Heuer watch, Charlie walked into the squad room looking more like a jetsetter than a plainclothes detective. He was newly groomed and sans goatee and Dani even thought she could detect the scent of Bulgari Aqua in the air. To Dani he held his six feet and one inch frame calm, contained, yet on edge, as if he was ready for violence. _For a cop Charlie doesn't trust cops. _She smiled. He took off the pair of Tag Heuer Curve sunglasses he wore exposing his green eyes to the light of the room.

Dani was trying to will him to look over at her, but he seemed hell bent on keeping his focus in front of him. It was almost as if he wasn't the Charlie she knew but then he reached into his pocket and took a perfect purple plum and bit into it. She wanted to laugh at this because he was still Charlie. Just then the crowd of brass and ADA Griffiths marched out of the Tidwell's office and towards the large conference room. Charlie and his lawyer followed after them.

"Mickey, we should be going in now," Puryer said in her clipped English accent.

"See you later," he said to Dani. "I have to help Charlie get back on the police."

Rayborn and Puryer marched over to the conference room and entered then the door was shut. Dani looked over at Tidwell, who was standing in his doorway with his arms crossed looking pissed.

"I wonder what's wrong with the captain," said Seever.

"I don't know but I bet it involves Charlie Crews," smiled Dani.

She may be angry with Charlie Crews for disappearing from her life right when she needed him most, yet she understood his reason. Now that he was back she had to deal with her feelings for him.

"I hope they put him back on the job," said Seever. "He was fascinated to work with."

"Really," Dani said to her erstwhile partner.

"I mean he could be frustrating sometimes, but he'd find unique insight into cases," she said.

Dani looked at Seever and suddenly wondered if she had been one of Charlie Crews' conquests. He had become legendary among the boys in blue for his appetite for women. After twelve years of enforced celibacy, he was tried to sample as much carnal pleasure as he could to make up for it. She heard the whispers: _Hey, did you hear Crews banged twins. Yeah, they weren't even badge bunnies_.

She ignored those whispers mainly because who was she to judge her partner's sexual habits. When she wanted to blow off steam or hurt herself, she'd skip an AA meeting, go to a bar for a few drinks, and pick up a guy whose name she didn't want to know. Anyway as time over the two years she worked with him she knew his appetite for conquest lessened. His appetite for just sex seemed to be satisfied.

Dani shook her head. Charlie and Seever would never hook up. Seever had a plan with her life and Charlie lived his without a plan but with a goal: he wanted justice. He wanted justice for himself and for others. She was being unnecessarily jealous. Jealous? Dani surprised herself to think she was being jealous over Charlie Crews.

"Should we pick him up for an interview?" asked Seever.

"Yeah, sure," said Dani. "Let's pick up Manning."

LIFE

Charlie zoned out the proceeding. While waiting to enter the conference room in his peripheral vision he had caught a glimpse of Reese. She was sitting at her desk staring, no glaring at him, with eyes that were on fire. He wanted to turn his head and look at, no, stare back, but he knew he'd get lost in her and he couldn't afford that right now. Yet, here he was sitting in front of the board paying no attention and thinking of Dani Reese.

"Mr. Crews," Constance Griffith spoke.

She had fallen in love with Charlie when she worked on his case for years in her effort proving he was innocent. After he was released from prison she never consummated that love with Charlie because she was married and Charlie respected married. She knew this was because his own wife had abandoned him and divorced him when he was in prison. A lot of women paid a price because his wife abandoned him. Charlie didn't allow many, if any, passed all his walls, though Constance as she looked at him staring at her with an expressionless face.

In some ways she became and ADA to protect him. She knew Charlie wanted vengeance for his lost years and he needed to be protected from himself. The people he was going after had connections and more, and all Charlie had going for him was hate fueled determination in her opinion. He should just enjoy his second chance at a life. But her choice to protect him had cost her his friendship and love.

Charlie was pulled out of his Dani reverie. He looked up at the attractive woman he once had feelings for. Unlike Dani, who had dark, smoldering brown eyes, Constance had light, inquisitive brown eyes.

"Yes," he said.

"Why do you want to be a police detective?" she asked.

Charlie offered the board his lopsided grin, the one that most people read and underestimated him.

"How can you escape from an inescapable net?" he asked them in turn.

"Mr. Crews," she said trying to hide a smile, "what does that mean?"

"I think what it means," he said then paused for a moment to think about his answer. "I think what it means is that I am supposed to be a cop. It's what I'm meant to do right now in this moment. Maybe in some other present time I will be supposed to do something else, but in this now I am meant to be a police officer."

"Oh, kiddo, I think you are meant to be so much more," Mikey Rayborn spoke up for his own amusement.

Charlie turned in his seat and looked at the man he knew was behind so much evil, yet he seemed to be obsessed with Charlie becoming his successor of the syndicate he had built. One of the reasons he wanted to be a cop again was to untie the knot that Mickey Rayborn.

"Mr. Rayborn, please no more outbursts. You'll be given your time to speak as you requested on behalf of Det. Crews," said Captain Hal Lowry.

Charlie turned back in his seat and ignored Rayborn.

"We have an affidavit here from Special Agent Bodner that you saved his life from a FBI special agent working for Roman Nevikov. Yet you didn't follow procedures, but instead left the scene of a crime," said Captain Janet Castro.

It was a question but a statement. Charlie understood that facing him were a great many land mines, yet he ventured forward.

"My partner was still in danger. I needed to find her," said Charlie.

"Only you could find her, Charlie?" asked Constance.

"Yes," he said and stared at her.

Gone was the lopsided grin and hint of goofiness. Instead staring back at her was a man who suffered through 250 stitches, many broken bones, and countless fights in prison and remained unbroken.

"Why?" asked Lowry.

"Because Roman Nevikov wanted me," he answered.

His lawyer leaned over and whispered into his ear to be careful like he needed to be told that. He knew the big question was coming up and he needed to handle it just right.

"Did you kill Roman Nevikov?" asked Castro.

Charlie smiled. It was his cold, lizard smile.

"Roman Nevikov killed Roman Nevikov,' he said.

"What does that mean?" asked Captain Lowry.

"It means that when Roman Nevikov decided to become the cold blooded killer and manipulator of people he destined himself to die violently," said Charlie.

"Someone crushed his Adam's apple and esophagus, much like a guard was killed in Pelican Bay while you were a prisoner there," said Captain Lowry. "Did you kill Roman Nevikov?"

"No," Charlie smiled.

Having explained that Roman destined himself to die violently in essence killing himself Charlie could answer no without a problem or even a hint of apprehension. He set down the logic, the precedent: Roman killed Roman based on his choices in life.

LIFE

When Dani and Seever returned with Manning, the conference room door was open and the room empty. It was over. She had missed Charlie's exit. She had missed Charlie.

"Take him into interview room A," said Dani. "I'll be right there."

Seever marched their suspect towards the interview room, while Dani made her way to Tidwell's office. He was sitting behind his desk throwing a baseball up in the air and catching it.

"Other than to get away from some ex-wives and a few kids, I have no idea what compelled me to come to Los Angeles," he said as she his office.

Ever since Charlie Crews saved her, their relationship had been teetering on the precipice. He didn't blame Dani; he blamed Charlie Crews.

"What happened with Crews?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah, the inquisition," said Tidwell.

He may have a problem with Crews but he didn't like the way he was being treated. The man saved and FBI agent and Dani and for that he got suspended and some wanted prison time.

"So what happened to him?" she asked.

"Time will tell. The board has to meet again and come to decision. He's in limbo for now," said Tidwell. "So, where are we, Dani?"

"What do you mean?" she replied.

"You and I, our relationship, where do we stand?" he asked.

"We don't stand; you sit on the bench by yourself for now" she said then walked out of his office.

He started tossing the ball up in the air and catching it once again.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Two

The sun was setting so that the usual cascade of sunlight on the pool water was fading. Charlie stood there in a tee shirt and swim trunks contemplating diving in and doing laps. This has become his favorite form of exercise mainly because it was solitary and worked every one of his muscles to their peak. Taking off his tee shirt white scars, 250 stitches worth, were highlighted against his red skin on his torso. Usually he kept his tee shirt to avoid questions about the scars, but Olivia and Ted were in the kitchen cooking and Rachel had her i-Pod in her room and was shutting them all out.

He dove into the water slicing underneath the water then breaking surface and he began to swim his laps. If done correctly swimming laps became a form of meditation: no thought, no distractions, just the repetitive motions of his arms and legs in the water. He would do lap after lap until he could do no more.

Dani pulled up to the mansion in her unmarked LAPD issued Dodge Charger. She got out and slammed the door shut. It was a warm evening, so she took off her black leather jacket, opened the door, tossed it into the backseat and slammed the door shut again. Now all she wore was a blue dress shirt, black pants, her badge clipped to her belt, and her Beretta 92 on her right hip. Her hair was pulled back tight in a ponytail and the expression on her face verged on the murderous. She marched up to the front door, opened it and was greeted by Bobby Darin signing _Goodbye Charlie_.

As she stood in the large front hallway, she saw Charlie's friend and fellow ex-con Ted Earley dance through a room with a much younger red haired buxom woman. They seemed oblivious to me until Ted finally noticed her and stopped dancing.

"Detective Reese," he said.

"Ted," she replied. "Where's Crews?"

"He's… um… he's swimming laps," Ted said.

She didn't anything else, but marched into the living room then opened the French door and walked out on a patio that overlooked the pool. In the pale blueness of dusk Charlie Crews was swimming laps. She watched him for a moment as he didn't notice that she was there. _I could take my gun out and shoot him and he wouldn't notice until the bullet hit him. _

She picked up a small stone from the patio and threw it right at him. Though it was aimed at his head, the stone hit him in the back. His reaction was instantaneous. He stopped swimming stood up chest high in the water and looked for an intruder; he saw Dani Reese. All his fight instincts subsided as he looked at her.

"Hey, Reese," he said.

"You left," she said.

"I know. You see I got in my car one day and kept driving. I ended up in Mexico," he said and the lopsided grin made a comeback.

"You left me," she said.

"I didn't want to leave you, Reese, but I wasn't going to go back to prison," he stated, as the grin disappeared.

"I ended up with Seever as my partner, Crews," she seethed.

"She's a good cop," he said.

All Dani could do was stare at him with that answer. She finally found her voice again.

"Did you kill Nevikov?" she asked.

"Yes," he answered honestly. There was no reason to hold back from her, even if she was a cop. They were partners and he loved her.

"How?" she asked.

"Are you going to arrest me, Dani?" he asked softly.

Just for asking that question she wanted to take her sidearm out and shoot him, but she forced herself to refrain.

"No, I am not going to arrest you," she said. "I only wished I could have killed him."

His lopsided grin reappeared.

"How did you kill him?" she asked again.

"Quickly," was his answer.

She knew from his tone that was the only answer she was going to get out of him.

"Crews, I was worried about you," Dani said.

"I'm sorry I left like I did but I couldn't risk being put in a cell again," he said.

"Jesus, what a mess we have, Crews," she said then sat down on the metal lounge chair.

He walked over to the edge of the pool and stood there.

"I know, Reese," he said.

There was more he wanted to say but he wasn't sure how to say it. He had to remember she was with Tidwell and a good relationship was like a marriage. He didn't' fucked with marriage, except Jennifer's marriage. But she was once married to him and he had trouble letting go of her for the longest time. But that was done. He'd finally let go of her, though.

"How did the board of inquiry go?" she asked.

"They'll let me know," he said.

"I want you back, Crews," she paused as she chose her words carefully, "as my partner."

"I want you, Reese," he smiled, "as my partner."

"God, Crews, what are we going to do?" she asked.

He got out of the pool forgetting about a shirt. Dani had never seen his obvious scars. She had been introduced his less obvious scars, his psychological ones, but the physical ones took her breath away.

As he grabbed a towel and started to dry his hair, she got up and walked over to him. Like it had a mind of its own, her right hand began to trace the think white scars on his torso. He brought the towel down and looked into her brown eyes which were transfixed by his scars. There were tears in them.

"Dani, it's okay. They don't hurt any longer," he said.

"Jesus, Charlie, how did you ever survive this?" she asked him.

He smiled at the use of his first name. Taking her right hand in his left hand not so much stopping her from touching him but reassuring her that he was alright, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. Even in high heels, he hovered over her five feet four inches. She looked up into his green eyes.

"I thought I'd never see you again," she said softly.

With his right hand he cupped her cheek then traced her lower lip with his thumb.

"Believe me, Dani, I wanted to see you," he said.

Suddenly, a flash of anger clouded her eyes: "You got into the car with Nevikov. What the hell were you thinking?"

He smiled at her suddenly anger. This was a part of her that he loved. She was a fighter, usually at war with the world, and he was in the world.

"I was thinking of you," he said.

"Why would you sacrifice yourself for me?" she asked.

"Because one plus one equals one," he said.

"This is more of that Zen shit isn't it?" she growled

He smiled then let go of her hand and dropped his right hand as he took a step back from her.

"How is Tidwell?" he asked putting emphasis on the tid.

"Why?" she asked.

"He's your captain and your boyfriend," he answered.

"Are you jealous of that, Crews?" she asked him.

"There is a Zen koan that says: sit quietly, do nothing, and yet the grass still grows by itself," he said.

"What the hell does that mean?' she asked.

"My feelings are like the grass. They can't but feel," he said.

"You're hiding behind that bullshit, Crews. Answer me, are you jealous?" she asked then poked him in the chest with her right hand.

"You didn't answer me, Dani, how is Tidwell?" he growled.

The way he asked her this time sent a flash of heat through her body. She wanted Charlie Crews more than she wanted to admit, even to her herself. She wanted his arms around her and skin in skin. The desire was starting to burn her.

"Ladies before gentlemen, Crews, you answer first," she insisted.

"I'm no gentleman and you're no lady, Dani," he growled, his voice getting deeper.

There was an edge to it now, a hint of darkness and passion. She didn't care anymore; she wanted him.

"Answer me, Crews, are you jealous?" she asked again and poked him again with her right hand.

It was then she saw it in his green eyes, which suddenly seemed darker. Gone was good old Crews, her partner and buddy; she had released his pent up passions. With his two hands he grabbed her face and turned it upwards so that her mouth was in position to accept his mouth then he devoured her. His lips burned hers, as his tongue sought out hers. She put up no fight but accepted him and then encouraged him as her right hand went to the crotch of his bathing suit and grabbed hold of him.

Ted was about to ask Dani if she wanted to stay for dinner when he reached the patio and saw them in the throes of passion. His first reaction was one of shock but that was quickly replaced with amusement. He then turned around to go tell Olivia that they'd be eating much later.

Charlie pulled the elastic band that held her hair in a ponytail out of her hair and allowed raven to dark brown hair to flow about her shoulders wild and free. He then grabbed a handful and deepened his kiss.

"Bedroom, Crews, we need a bedroom," Dani said between pants for breath as she pulled away.

"Bedroom, okay," he said.

He picked her up in his arms and carried her bride style into the house through the living room and up the stairs. All the while he continued to kiss her.

"Do you want me, Dani?" he asked her in a hoarse voice.

"Yeah, Crews, I want you," she growled.

He continued down the hallway into the master bedroom then kicked the door shut with left foot as he entered the room. Tossing Dani onto his larger than California king sized bed, she laughed. It was a throaty, sensuous laughter that ignited him even further. She began to pull her own clothes off as he stepped out of his wet bath suit. When she got to her pants he pulled them off for her then buried his face her crotch not bothering to take off her white panties.

Dani took in a deep inhalation of air as her body reacted to Charlie's ministrations. Her whole body was on fire and he was driving her. Usually she was in charge when she had sex, but not this time. This was Charlie's bed and he was in charge. He took off her panties and continued to paying attention to the lower part of her anatomy. Once Dani started to scream from the intensity of the orgasm she was having he finally moved up and in between legs. She sat up and reached for his mouth. They kissed and she could taste herself on his lips and tongue. As his erection hovered neared her swollen lips, he looked into her eyes.

"Fuck me, Crews," she growled to him.

"Say my name, Dani," he smiled.

She knew what he wanted and she was willing to say.

"Make love to me, Charlie," she said.

With that he entered her and once again her body was on fire.

LIFE

It was quarter past midnight and they found themselves in Charlie's kitchen. Dani was wearing one of his blue dress shirts and he had on a terry cloth robe. Charlie opened the refrigerator and took out a platter of cold fried chicken and placed it on the island in the middle of the kitchen. Dani grabbed two stools, pulled them to the island, sat down in one, and started to eat some of the chicken.

"This is delicious," she said.

"Olivia as it turns out is an excellent cook," Charlie said as he got them eat a glass of ice tea.

He handed her a glass then drank half his glass down as she sat beside her. Once he put his glass down, Dani leaned over had kissed him.

"What are we going to do, Charlie?" she asked.

"Is Tidwell still living with?" he asked.

"Not really. He still has some clothes and other items in my apartment. I should pack them up and have them waiting for him," she said.

"Why don't you pack some of your stuff up and, I don't know, bring them over here?" he suggested as he took a drumstick and started to nibble on it.

"I need my space Charlie," she said.

"Honey, I've got rooms in this place I don't even know about," he smiled. "I know there is a study off of the living room, but I haven't opened the door since I moved in here. And there is an exercise room in the basement along with a washer and dryer, which id funny because I don't wash or dry my clothes. I take everything to the cleaners."

"Charlie, okay, I got your point," she said.

"You don't have any stuff. I'm just giving you the opportunity to if you want to," he said.

She had to admit she didn't mind the idea of spending quality time with Charlie Crews not at work.

"We are going to be honest with each other if we are going to make this work, Charlie," she said.

"Honesty I don't have a problem with. It's secrets that I have problem with," he said.

"What secrets do you have, Charlie?" she said.

"Not tonight, honey," he said then turned her on the stool and kissed her.

"I have to work in the morning, Charlie," she purred.

"Then I better get you to bed," he smiled.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Three

Charlie woke to the smell of Dani on the pillows and memories of the night before so fresh that he could still taste them, but Dani was gone. He understood that she had to change before work; he just wished he could have gone off to work with her. Getting out of bed he took a long hot shower then exited his bathroom with a towel around his waist to find Ted standing there with his smartphone in hand.

"It ADA Constance Griffith is on the phone for you," he said with a hound dog expression.

Charlie held out his hand and Ted handed him the smartphone then Charlie waved him away.

"ADA Griffith, it's a surprise to hear from you this fine lovely morning," he said.

"_I know you're still angry with me, Charlie. You think I deserted you in your pursuit of revenge, but I am still your friend_," she said. "_I still care about you_."

"If you understand, things are just as they are. If you do not understand, things are just as they are," Charlie hid behind a Zen saying.

"_Okay, things are just as they are between us. I wanted to tell you we are meeting this afternoon about you and will have an answer for you right after the meeting. Mickey Rayborn has called several people on your behave. He thinks you should be reinstated_," she told him. "_What do you think about that, Charlie_?"

"I think Mickey Rayborn controls Mickey Rayborn and he has no control over me," said Charlie.

"_Be careful with him, Charlie. There are a lot of people in this police department who are beholden to him. He pulls a lot of people's strings_," she warned him then hung up.

Mickey Rayborn. Suddenly, a koan came to mind: The obstacle is the path. Mickey Rayborn was his path to the truth about everything. He needed to deal with Mickey Rayborn.

Getting dressed in jeans and a blue dress shirt along with an Armani black blazer, he decided to visit Mickey Rayborn. Since it was a beautiful day, he surmised he'd find Rayborn on his beloved yacht. It was moored at a marina in Marina Del Rey where he also kept a condo just because sometimes after a long day on the ocean he didn't want to go back to his mansion. Charlie got into his new sliver Maserati GranTurismo sped off for the marina.

When he arrived he parked in one of Rayborn's spaces in the parking lot of his condo and then headed off to the marina. He saw Mickey's yacht with Mickey in white pants and shirt and windbreaker talking to the captain from the dock and strode towards it. One of the security personnel from Amanda Puryer's stood by the walkway to Mickey's boat acting as guard and bodyguard. Charlie was in no mood to be stopped as he approached the man, who looked like he was ex-military in a moderately priced suit.

With his goofy friendly smile playing on his face, Tony approached the guard. The guard looked on him as if he was a pesky salesman or something insignificant and harmless. As Charlie got close to him his smile grew wider and more friendly.

"I'd like to see Mickey," he said.

"Sorry, can't help you," the guard said.

"I thought so," Charlie said then his green eyes went dead and the smile disappeared and suddenly the guard realized there was nothing insignificant or harmless about this man.

Before he could react, Charlie grabbed his shoulders and head butted right on the bridge of his nose breaking it and causing the blood to flow. The head butt made him dizzy, so Charlie could easily toss him into the water then he looked up the walkway to see a smiling Rayborn staring at him.

"Come aboard, kiddo, I've been expecting you," Rayborn laughed.

Mickey turned and disappeared so Charlie followed after him. He found him sitting at a table in the after of the boat being served a drink.

"Join me, kiddo, I'm having an afternoon libation," smiled Rayborn.

"Why do you want me back on the police force?" asked Charlie.

"Police force, so old school of you, kiddo. It's the police department now. Police force sounds to fascistic," chuckled Rayborn.

"Why?" asked Charlie.

"Well, kiddo, anyone who can intimidate Roman Nevikov then actually murder him in front of his men and get away it I think deserves to be a cop. Hell, I think you should be the chief of police," he laughed.

"I'll never be your puppet or pawn, Rayborn," Charlie said.

"I don't want you as a puppet or pawn, kiddo, you're too important for that. I still have long term plans for you. I mean to just crush Roman's windpipe in a split second and then have the coolness to tell his men that they were free now that Roman was dead. Oh, kiddo, you are magnificent," Rayborn said with genuine praise.

"How do you know what happened?" asked Charlie.

"Roman wasn't the only one to pay them," he chuckled. "They feared Roman, but once he was dead they became my men."

"I won't be part of any of your games," Charlie said.

"No Zen sayings for me," smiled Rayborn.

Charlie stood there staring at that man.

"I know what you need," Rayborn said then he yelled: "Allan, bring the present."

Within a moment a man in a white coat came out with a red spiny fruit in his hand. He handed it to Charlie.

"It's called a Jackfruit. You can find it in India, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. It's considered one of the largest borne fruits in the world. I think you'll like it, kiddo; it tastes like pineapple," said Rayborn. "Take it and take your badge back. I'll be watching. We aren't down with each other yet."

Charlie looked at the odd exotic fruit in his hand then he looked at Mickey Rayborn. The man was a threat, not only to him and probably to Dani, but to society. He was a cancer that needed to be cut out of society, but Charlie knew he needed to bide his time with the man, since he was too dangerous and too powerful to deal with on the spare of the moment.

Taking the fruit with him, he left Mickey to enjoy the afternoon on the water. They would see each other again.

LIFE

Charlie got the call while he was headed back to his home. It was from Constance. He had been reinstated and that he should pick up his badge, ID, service revolver, and assignment from Captain Tidwell. Immediately, Charlie redirected his Maserati to the Office of Special Operations which housed the Detective Bureau and Homicide Special Section (HSS). Even after meeting with Rayborn, he couldn't keep a genuine smile from creasing his lips. He'd be a cop once again and he'd be seeing Dani.

Once he parked in the police parking lot, he entered the building, signed in at security, and took the elevator up to HSS. As he walked off the elevator he saw the glass enclosed squad room and Dani and Det. Seever seated desk to desk as partners. It was Seever, who noticed him first as he entered the squad room, but she wasn't the last to notice him.

The squad room suddenly became unnaturally quiet, which drew the attention of a very tired Dani Reese. She looked up from her report to see Charlie dressed casually and walking towards Tidwell's office. Her heart skipped a beat seeing him. She wanted to get up and run into his arms and kiss him, which bothered her. Dani never thought of herself as the romantic and mushy type, yet Charlie Crews was bringing that out in her. She snarled then lowered her head and continued with her report.

Charlie knocked on Tidwell's door, opened it, and entered his office. Captain Kevin Tidwell had his chair turned and was staring out of the window.

"You enter Tidwell's office without Tidwell's permission you better have a good reason," Tidwell said then he spun around to see Charlie Crews standing in front of his. "Crews. You look healthy and relaxed."

"And ready to resume working," Charlie said.

"Sit," said Tidwell. "We should talk before I give you your badge back."

Charlie said down in the chair facing Tidwell's desk. His face was placid, even serene. Seeing the red headed detective seated in front of him looking like a million dollars gave Tidwell mixed feelings. Part of him disliked Charlie Crews because Dani trusted him in a way she seem to trust no one else. When she was in the hospital getting rest and medical attention, the only person she worried about and wanted to see was Charlie Crews. Yes, he rescued her which meant she should be thankful to him, but how she appeared to feel was beyond thankfulness.

Of course, there was another part of him that admired the shit out of Charlie Crews. The man did a hard twelve years in prison for a crime he didn't commit and cops were never treated well in prisons when they were arrested. Most cops who ended up cons were dead within the first two years. Some survived longer by living in solitary and having no contact with the general population, but Charlie Crews did twelve years of being a in a cell by himself, being beaten, stabbed, tortured, and fighting back to the point that he was actually feared by many in Pelican Bay. There was even a rumor that he had killed a particularly sadistic prison guard, but it could never be proven.

And after all that, Charlie Crews was told he was innocent, given fifty million dollars, yet he still wanted to be a cop. Part of his settlement with the city was to be a cop again. He just had to admire that.

"So, you're coming back to the job," said Tidwell. "You know what bothers me?"

"No, captain, I don't know what bothers you," smiled Charlie.

"It bothers me that the same day that my girlfriend kicks me out of her apartment, tells me to pick up my stuff, and tells me that it is over between us, that you show up to return to the job. Doesn't that bother you?" he asked Charlie.

"A flower falls even though we love it and a weed grows even though we do not love it," Charlie quoted Dogen Zenji.

"That's Zen, isn't it?" asked Tidwell.

Charlie nodded yes.

"You see Tidwell doesn't get that shit. It's too abstract for Tidwell," Tidwell said. "I like direct, easy to understand answers. Are you the reason that Dani broke up with me?"

"What happens between you and Dani, Captain, is between you and her," he answered.

"Still not a real answer, but I'm not going to get a real answer from you, am I? It's not like I can break you to tell me. Pelican Bay didn't break you then Tidwell isn't going to break you," he said.

Tidwell reached into his desk draw and placed Charlie's badge, ID, and service revolver, a Glock 22, on his desk. Charlie looked at them then at Tidwell. He waited for the words to be said.

"Your suspension is over. I expect you in here on Monday bright and early to resume your duties," Tidwell said.

"What about a partner?" Charlie asked.

"Well, I'll talk to your fellow detectives and see if there are any volunteers to be your partner. You'll have one assigned Monday to you," he said.

Charlie reached over and picked up his badge, ID, and gun and smiled. He was back.

"Thank you, Captain," he said to him.

"Trust me, Crews, I did nothing," said Tidwell.

LIFE

Olivia and Ted had taken to his old apartment above the garage. Charlie offered to have the whole garage converted into a guest house if it would make them feel more comfortable. Ted agreed that it would be a good idea and he'd look into the specifics with Olivia. Now that Charlie and Rachel were back they liked the idea of the added privacy.

As Ted and Olivia went out for dinner, he and Rachel had a quiet dinner of Chinese food delivered to the door. They were eating their food in a comfortable silence when Dani let herself. She walked into the dining room to see them eating in silence. When Charlie, who was taking a swig of his Negra Modelo Beer, saw her and his face lit up.

"Det. Reese," Rachel greeted her.

"Call me Dani, Rachel," said Dani who looked over at Charlie as if he was on the menu along with the Chinese food.

"I'll get you a plate and you can join us, Dani," said Charlie.

Dani took off her leather coat and smiled at him: "I'll get my own plate. You don't have to wait on me."

She disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a plate and a knife and fork.

"Do you know that you have only three plates in there and barely any flatware?" she asked as she sat down and started to inspect the many boxes of Chinese food.

"Charlie doesn't believe in owning too much. It causes clutter," said Rachel in a tone that showed her annoyance.

"Does that include the Maserati parked outside?" Dani asked.

"I owe it but I'm not attached to it," Charlie said then he smiled his I am Zen smile.

"Good. I'll drive it when we go out together," said Dani.

Rachel laughed: "I like her."

Charlie's smile became warm and sincere: "I do, too."

"So, Dani, I guess we'll be seeing you around here a lot more," said Rachel.

"Yes, Rachel, you'll be seeing a lot more of me around here," Dani smile.

"Oh, Charlie, before I forget. I'm thinking of going to UCLA next system," said Rachel.

"Just tell me how much money you need," he said not being able to take his eyes off of Dani.

"Is he always so easy?" Dani asked Rachel.

"Yup," answered Rachel.

"Good," Dani said then a Cheshire grin curled her lips. "Starting Monday we are partners again, so Tidwell can't find out we are dating."

"I'm not dating you, Dani. I belong to you," he said.

"I know, Charlie," she said as she started to put food on her plate.

"And you belong to me," he said.

"We'll see about that," she chuckled.

"Yeah, I like her," said Rachel, who then put her i-Pod, picked up her plate, and walked away to eat somewhere else in order to give them room.

"Are you staying the night, Dani?" he asked her.

"Yes, Charlie, I'm staying the night. My bags are in the trunk of my car," she told him.

"I'm glad you're staying," he said.

"So am I," she smiled.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Four

Dani had gotten used to Tidwell sharing her bed. At first it felt uncomfortable as if someone was intruding in her personal space then she grew used to his sometime overbearing presence because he put so much effort into pleasing her. She even got used to his need to touch her all the time, even though she really didn't like being touched, except during sex. What surprised her the most about waking up in Charlie's bed was that she needed to touch him as much as he needed to touch her.

She awoke wrapped in his arms and her body wrapped around him. It felt natural, like she had been waking up in his arms for most of her life. She buried her face in his chest and breathed him in. There was something about his scent, a mix of Bulgari Aqua, sweat, and his own natural odor, his pheromones, that drove her to distraction. She suddenly felt herself getting sexual aroused again.

The unwanted sound of her smartphone ringer forced her out of his arms, out of bed, as she grabbed the phone out of her pants pocket.

"Hello," she answered it.

"_Dani, your father is home_," Leila Reese told her daughter in Farsi. "_He wants to see you. Please, come to Sunday dinner. Bring a friend if it will make you more comfortable_."

"_Mama, I don't want to see him_," Dani said in Farsi.

"_For me, Dani, please come on Sunday. There will be plenty of people coming. He wants to see you, though. He is worried about you. Let us have some peace in the family_," Dani's mother said.

"_Okay, mama, I will come," _Dani hung up the phone then turned to see a smiling Charlie sitting up in bed staring at her.

"I take it that was your mother," he said.

"Yes, my father is home and he wants to see me," she said.

She watched as her lover's smile disappeared and his body seemed to stiffen just a little. Charlie Crews knew Jack Reese and there was bad blood there, she didn't know that. But she wanted to know about it.

"You promised me we'd be honest with each other, Charlie, if this is going to work," Dani said to him. "You know something about my father. What is it?"

"Secrets, Dani, not honesty, that's my problem," he said.

He got out of bed, grabbed a pair of jeans out of the closet and put them on. Next, he grabbed a fresh, clean white linen dress shirt and walked over to the naked Dani, who stood there in the middle of his bedroom staring at him. He handed her the dress shirt to put on because he liked seeing her in his shirts then he gave her a passionate good morning kiss that made her moan with desire in his mouth. He stepped back and she put on the dress shirt.

"You're got expensive tastes in clothes," she said feeling the shirt.

"After wearing the same thing day after day for twelve years, I like to indulge," he said then he took her by the hand and started to walk her towards his walk-in closet. "I'm going to share a secret with you, Dani, and you might not like it."

When they got to the door, he reached up and grabbed the spare key which he had hidden on the top of the door frame then he unlocked the door and let him into his private world of conspiracy. Turning on the light, he stepped back and let Dani Reese review the photos tapped the back wall and the interconnecting arrows. He would allow the detective in her to take over.

Dani recognized Rayborn, Lt. Davis, her father's SWAT team, her father, the deceased Det. Carl Ames, who put Charlie away, who was in a photo taken not too long ago arguing with her father. There were the Seybolts and Kyle Hollis and Roman Nevikov and even Special Agent Bodner. Piece by piece he had been putting together who framed him. According to these photos it was part of a larger conspiracy and her father was involved in it and Charlie had gotten caught up in it.

"Are you saying that my father helped put you away?" asked Dani.

"He was involved," said Charlie, "but I don't think at first he really wanted to put me away. That was a reaction to the murder of my friends by Kyle Hollis. They needed to protect themselves so they framed me."

"Tell what you think you know, Crews," Dani said as she stared at the wall.

"Okay, but you have to listen, really listen, Dani," he said. "It starts with Mickey Rayborn, who turned out to be a dirty cop with big plans. He got other cops dirty and made them part of a little syndicate he was growing. Mickey had big plans, including developing talent, men who would replace him and his crew in the police force when they were ready to retire. He left the police department to grow the syndicate, but he wanted his heir apparent developed to take over his role in the LAPD and eventually the whole things. That was supposed to be me."

"You?" she said as if he had just told her that he had walked on the moon.

"Yeah, me. He told me himself when I was looking for you. You see one of those men who was part of his syndicate was Roman Nevikov. Roman wanted to be Mickey's successor, but Mickey still saw me as it. For some reason he's fixated on me," Charlie told him.

"That is why Roman feared and hated you so much," she said.

"Roman knew that you could get to me through you. He had seen us together and Roman was a master of smelling someone's weakness. He somehow knew I was falling in love with you. He could sense it," he said.

Dani looked at him and with the word love she opened her mouth then shut it again. He used the word love so easily and it was a word that came so hard to her. She knew she loved him but she wasn't ready to say it.

"So the plan was to get me involved by making me dirty and the way they were going to do that was by making my friend dirty. We owed a bar together. Dirty my friend and you dirty a cop. Dirty a cop and you own him. Your father was part of that plan. He was one of Mickey's go to men," said Charlie.

"My father knows you," she said more to herself than to him.

"He and some of his SWAT boys sent Kyle Hollis to intimidate my friend, who was fighting them. Unfortunately, Hollis was high and paranoid when he visited the Seybolt family and ended up killing them all except Rachel. You know he ended up a preacher raising Rachel," he said and his face took on the expression of a man who could kill Hollis with his bare hands. "Well, they cleaned up Hollis' mess by framing me. It was easy. I don't know if this got Mickey mad or not because there was no one in the police to replace him any longer but it did lead to me spending twelve years in Pelican Bay."

"Oh, God, Charlie," she mumbled as tears started to burn her eyes.

"While I was in Pelican Bay it seems Mickey Rayborn watched as his favorite SWAT team robbed the Bank of Los Angeles of 18 million dollars. Each man used the money to buy into Mickey's syndicate, except one. Your father, maybe out of guilt or tired of Mickey and all his bullshit, gave his share of the money to an order of nuns," he told her.

This brought an odd smile to Dani's lips, though there were still tears in her eyes.

"Now that I'm out, the men who put me in prison either want to put me back in prison or get me off the police force because they are afraid of me and Mickey Rayborn still wants me as his heir apparent for his now highly profitable crime syndicate, which has as many legitimate businesses as illegal ones," Charlie finished his tale of conspiracy.

"You got Hollis. Will he roll over on them for a deal?" asked Dani.

"ADA Griffith told me to drop it. She told me I got the murderer of my friend and his family and I should now drop because too many powerful people want it dropped. She thought she was protecting me," he said coldly.

"So, that explains why you're no longer close to her," Dani said as she wiped tears from her eyes with his shirt.

"Do you believe what I just told you, Dani?" he asked.

"Yes, Charlie, I do," she said.

"Come here, honey," he said and he held his arms out for her.

She walked into his hug and he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.

"You love me, Charlie?" she asked him.

"Yeah, Dani, I love you," he said.

"You are coming to my family's house for dinner Sunday. My father has come back home and he wants to see me and I want you by my side," she said.

He smiled: "I'll be there right beside you, honey."

She turned her head and buried it in his chest and breathe him in.

LIFE

Charlie wasn't used to Dani in a dress, but she put one on for their Sunday brunch with her family. The way she looked in one made him think he'd like to see her wear them more often. He decided to wear his black Armani suit with a powder blue dress shirt and red silk power tie. For a while he thought of wearing his sidearm to the dinner but finally decided against it. Instead he slipped his stainless steel folding knife in his pocket.

As he grabbed the keys to his Maserati, Dani took them away from him then got on her tip toes and kissed him.

"I'm driving," she smiled.

"I don't have a choice do it?" he said.

"No," her smile widened.

As Dani drove Charlie took a Star Fruit out of his pocket and began to peel it with his knife.

"What it that, Crews?" asked Dani as she sped along.

"A Star Fruit," he said. "It's from Indonesia."

"Oh," was her response.

"It comes from the carambola tree. The fruit tastes like pineapple, apple and kiwi combined," he told her.

"Too much information, Charlie," she said.

"You asked," he retorted good naturedly.

"Do I need to take the knife away from you?" she inquired.

"No. I won't use to, except to peel fruit and defend myself," he smiled giving her that lopsided grin that disarmed people.

"I knew I should have brought my service revolver," she said. "I don't want any trouble."

"Trust, Dani, I won't start anything," he said.

They pulled up in front of her parents' home, which was littered with cars parked in the driveway and in front of the house. Her father always liked to be the king with his followers. Captain Jack Reese of LAPD SWAT, he was a legend in the police department. Sundays involved dinners with friends and family, cousins mainly. She parked the car and took deep breath before getting out of the car.

Together she and Charlie walked side by side, her left hand enveloped by his large right hand. As they came to the door, the first person to greet her was a concerned Lt. Karen Davis, now Sgt. Davis because of her trying to pin the death of Carl Ames on Charlie.

"Dani, why did you bring him?" Davis asked.

"My mother said I should bring someone. He's my someone," she said.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Davis said with her face pinched with concern.

"He's my guest Karen, just like you are my father's guest," Dani stated then bulled her way past her and into the house.

Charlie could feel all eyes on him. He was being sized up and judged. In comparison to a walk in the yard with other prisoners, this was a cakewalk, but that didn't mean that Charlie had to like it. He could start feeling the con side of him raising his head, as he felt he was on enemy territory. His survival instincts were kicking in.

After touching the knife in his pocket he possessively placed a hand on Dani's back. It was then that Dani's mother came into the living room and greeted her and Charlie.

"Dani, I am glad you came," she said then kissed her daughter's cheek.

Like her daughter Leila Reese was petite with a Persian beauty. Her dark eyes she looked at Charlie, whose green eyes kept scan the room like he was waiting for an attack.

"So, who is this?" asked Leila.

"This is Charlie Crews, my partner," Dani said.

This brought a smile to Charlie's face. He was her partner alright. He looked closely at Leila Reese and saw a great deal of the daughter in the mother.

"You are the man who rescued Dani," she said.

"She's my partner," he said.

"Thank you," Leila said.

Charlie smiled at her and she returned it with a smile of her own.

"Your father is out back grilling up hamburgers, steaks, hot dogs, anything he can get his hands on. He wanted a relaxed dinner for a change," Leila said. "Go see him."

Grabbing Charlie's hand, which Leila noticed, Dani pulled Charlie along with her out through the glass doors and into the backyard. Her younger cousins played while her older ones, especially on her mother's side, glared at Charlie and the way Dani held his hand. Dani didn't hold people's hands, but she held the lanky red headed man's hand.

The white haired, black mustached Jack Reese turned in between hamburger flips and saw Charlie. His face reddened and all the bonhomie went out of his eyes. Dani saw the look in her father's eyes. It was as if he could kill Charlie on the spot. Somehow this proved everything Charlie had told her.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Crews?" he growled.

"I'm with Dani," Charlie simple answered, but it said so much that Jack Reese hissed.

"Dani, this bastard is no good for you. You should stay away from him," Jack told his daughter.

Charlie felt her grip tightened in her hand, as if she was making sure he didn't go anywhere. He had no intention of leaving her side. All eyes in the backyard were now on them and people started to filter from the house to the yard to see Jack in action.

"Charlie is my partner and nothing is going to change that," she said.

"I'll see about that," Jack said.

"If you try and keep us apart as partners I'll turn in my badge," Dani warned him.

"Jesus, Dani, what will you do if you aren't a cop?" Jack asked her.

"Live with Charlie," she said knowing that she was prodding the bear.

Those words slapped Jack across the face. She was now flaunting her relationship with Crews. He dropped the spatula he used to flip burgers and started walking towards Dani. Graceful and quickly, Charlie stepped in front of Dani to protect her. She was about get angry with him when her father threw a powerful right hook which Charlie didn't even bother to duck. He took it on the jaw and his head shot back with the force of the punch. Dani stepped from behind Charlie and saw that his lip bled, yet she was suddenly frightened for her father's life.

She saw Charlie's eyes and they were dead, lifeless eyes. They were the eyes of a killer and the smile that now creased his lips was a grim reaper's smile. She knew he was on the verge of reacting like a con in the prison yard under attack, which meant someone was going to die. The expression she saw on her father's face surprised her: he was suddenly afraid of Charlie Crews and Jack Reese feared no one.

She stepped in between the two men and ignored her father. Her attention was on Charlie.

"Charlie, come back to me," she demanded.

He seemed not to even notice her as his whole focus was on Jack Reese. She knew she had to get his attention, so she slapped him across the face.

"Charlie, look at me," she demanded.

"Yeah, honey," he said looking at her.

His eyes started to soften, thought that grim reaper grin was still there.

"Take me home, Charlie, and make love to me," she said.

"Okay, honey," he said.

He took her by the hand and this time he led her into the house. People parted before him as if they were afraid of him. He led her out of the house to be stopped by Leila's call.

"Dani," she called to her daughter.

Dani stopped walking, so Charlie stopped walking. She gently touched his cheek. He let go of her hand. Dani walked over to her mother who was standing just outside the front door.

"I am sorry this happened, Dani," she said.

"It isn't your fault," Dani said.

"_He loves you," _Leila said in Farsi.

"_I'm not sure that Pedar loves me," _Dani replied in Farsi.

"No, not your father, but this Charlie Crews," Leila Reese said in English.

Dani smiled: "I know."

"Go now. Take care of him," said her mother.

Dani gave her a kiss on the cheek then returned to Charlie's side. They got into the Maserati with Dani taking the driver's seat again. Charlie didn't complain. Before she started up the car, she turned to look at him.

"Your lip is bleeding," she said.

"It doesn't hurt," he said.

She placed her two hands which seemed small on his face and turned so his head so that she could kiss him. She devoured his mouth, tasting his blood, tasting him then she let go of him. Charlie noticed she had some of his blood on her lips, so he reached with his right hand and removed it with his thumb.

"I'm taking you home, Crews, and I'm going to make love to you," she said.

"Okay, Dani," he said.

She turned in her seat and settled in the seat then started the car and peeled away leaving her father's home behind her.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Five

They arrived separately HSS. From his office doorway Tidwell watched Dani as she came striding into the squad room looking energetic and even happy. This wasn't his Dani. His Dani was a dark storm cloud walking into a sunny room. She stopped at her desk, sat down, and even smiled at Seever, who was packing up her stuff to move to a different desk and a different partner. Seever carried a small box full of her stuff to new desk.

On cue Charlie Crews, wearing a Polo Ralph Lauren navy blue suit and pink linen dress shirt with a lighter blue silk tie, got off the elevator carrying two large coffees. He stopped at the lockbox, put the cup down, and locked up his service revolver then he picked up the cups and walked into the squad room right to Reese and handed her a coffee liked he had never left.

He sat down at the desk, placed his coffee down and then took an orange out of his pocket. Dani looked at him with exasperation as he took his knife out and began to peel the orange.

"Did you know that I own an orange grove?" he smiled at her. "I get them by the bagful for free."

"I don't like oranges," she said then stuck her tongue out at him.

He bit into an orange slice: "I love how the flavor explodes in your mouth."

Much to the surprise of anyone in the squad room Dani Reese laughed. Tidwell sighed and went back onto his office. As Charlie put another orange slice into his mouth Seever came over to greet him.

"Welcome back, Crews," she said.

"Seever, I'm surprised you're not mayor yet," he grinned.

"You know I have a plan," she said.

"The rich man plans for tomorrow. The poor man plans for today," he said.

"You're a rich man, Crews," she said chuckling.

"Yeah, but I don't like plans," he said then popped another orange slice in his mouth.

"Reese, Crews, my office," barked Tidwell.

Charlie raised his eyebrows at Seever then followed Dani into Tidwell's office. He stared at them as they stood in front of his desk. Part of him wondered what it was about Charlie Crews, other than money and expensive suits that drew Dani to Charlie. The man had a dark streak equal if not greater than her own. She needed stable not Charlie Crews.

"Dead girl in West Hollywood," he handed Reese a piece of paper with the address.

She turned to leave but Tidwell cleared his throat and she looked at him.

"I hope that you two intend on behaving. Crews has a lot people scrutinizing everything he does," said Tidwell.

"And your point," she said.

"Everything should be by the book by you, too. Think about that," he said.

"Like it was by the book between you and I," she snared.

He knew what she meant. She fucked him and he didn't have a problem throwing the rule book out. If he had a problem with her relationship with Charlie, she'd make his life miserable. It was a threat.

Charlie noticed Tidwell's discomfort.

"Anything further, Captain," he said, but before he could answer Charlie decided to go on a tangent. "Or is it anything farther. No, that's not right, is it? Further, farther, you have to make sure you use the right word and use it right. You know what I mean. Yeah, it's anything further, as in furthermore, not farther which is distance, though further is distance, too, but there is no farthermore. Jesus, that was an awkward sentence, wasn't it?"

He smiled and Tidwell just stared at the man in confusion. Dani grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the office before he decided to continue his babble.

"You like to push it, don't you, Crews?" she said

"I have no idea what you mean, Reese," he smiled.

"Yeah, you have no idea," she said.

"Well, I might have an idea," he smiled.

"Remember, we have to keep this by the book," Dani said.

"He didn't say what book," replied Charlie.

LIFE

Instead of their assigned unmarked car, Dani insisted they take his Maserati which meant stopping by the garage and getting a light and siren, as well as a portable dispatch radio installed. Once the car was ready, she took the keys from him and drove with a smile on her face the whole way. The body was located in an apartment next to a Pavilion's Supermarket off of Sunset Blvd.

CSI team was well into the work as they arrived and the body was being put on a gurney to be taken away. After putting gloves on Charlie took a close look at the body. It was a young woman. She was found nude and strangled by neighbor who found the door ajar.

"I'm thinking she was a stripper," he said as he looked at the body.

"What makes you think she is a stripper, Crews? Is it the fact she had hot body?" asked Dani.

Instead of answering he pointed to the closet door where a sequined bikini top and bottom were handing from the doorknob. Dani grinned. It was good to have Charlie back, she thought.

"The perp used his hands," said Charlie.

"I'll have a glove size for you in a day or so," said one of the CSI techs.

"I'd say the size will be," he paused as he matched up his hand with the marks on her neck, "large."

"We should find out where she worked and check the place out," Dani said.

"I tell the stupid bastard who did this left trace evidence," said CSI guy as he taped a clear plastic over the hand of the victim. "She has skin under her fingers from scratching the guy. We have DNA."

"Well. Let's go get the guy who the DNA belongs to," Dani said.

She walked over and opened the deceased purse and started to look through it for a hint where she worked. She found a box of matches with Starlight on it.

"Starlight on Beverly Blvd," Dani looked at Charlie. "It's a strip joint near the Beverly Center."

He looked at her and nodded.

LIFE

Starlight was far from an upscale strip club. This wasn't one of those clubs you'd find celebrities watching women strip. Its décor was somewhere between Liberace and neoclassical Roman. Even though it was only eleven in the morning it was open for business. Dani had taken a photo of the victim with her smartphone. As they got to the door of the club they flashed their badges.

"We believe one of your dances has been murdered," said Dani as she showed the guy at the booth the photo.

"Gina Nolan," Charlie added.

"This is more to do with the guys inside. I'll buzz you in," he said and buzzed the door so they could open it and enter.

Once inside Charlie senses were on alert. He could smell the spilled alcohol and human sweat mixed with pheromones. There were dances in their bikini tops and bottoms walking from table to table making sure the two dozen or so men in the club were either getting lapdances or buying drinks.

"I'll talk to the manager and see if they have security stream we can view. Maybe she left last night with her murderer," said Dani.

"I'll mingle," Charlie said, as he looked at some of the dancers.

Dani walked over to the bartender, showed him her ID, and asked for the manager. Charlie didn't even have to seek out the dancers as one of the appeared in front of him with a vacuous smile.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi," he grinned. "My name is Det. Charlie Crews. Do you know Gina Nolan?"

She looked at Charlie and there was something about him that was trustworthy.

"Gina. Yeah, sure, why?" she said.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Nan," she said.

"Nan, Gina has been murdered and we are here to see if she left her last night with someone," he said.

"Oh, God, she's dead," she said softly.

He could see the panic setting in. Her eyes starting darting around the club, like she was looking for someone. And it was someone she was afraid of.

"Nan," Charlie said in a low, serious voice, "you know who she left with, don't you? You don't have to be afraid. I'll protect you. Now tell me who she left her last night with."

"Um, I've got…," she started to back-peddle.

"Nan, is the man who left with Gina here now?" Charlie asked.

"I really can't talk to you," she said.

One of the bouncers noticed Nan was looking upset. He came over to the pair, but before he could speak, Charlie moved his suit jacket showing off the badge clipped to his belt. He glared at the man with his green darken and almost appearing blue in the dusky lightening of the club.

"You don't need to interfere," Charlie growled.

"Sure, I'll back off," the bouncer said then took several steps back.

He turned his attention back to Nan.

"Gina was strangled, Nan. Someone put his hands around her neck and squeezed the life out of her. He watched as her eyes went from full of life to empty, lifeless. Do you know what lifeless eyes look like, Nan?" he asked.

"No, I don't," she said on the verge of tears.

"They are like kewpie doll eyes, wide open, unblinking, glassy, and empty of all life. You don't want to see those eyes, Nan. They stay with you," he said.

"Joe, the manager, took her home," she said.

Charlie softened in an instant.

"Thank you, Nan, you did right to tell me," he said.

He turned to see Dani was gone. Charlie turned his attention to the bouncer.

"Where's the manager's office?" he growled.

"Over there," he pointed at a door behind the bar.

Charlie moved like a panther on the prey as he made his way to the office door. He could hear a struggle as he got close to the door. Not even bothering to open the door, he kicked it off its hinges to expose Dani struggling with the manager, who was trying to choke her. In that instant Charlie ceased being a cop and became a con.

Grabbing him by the shoulders, he turned him around and head butted him flattening his nose in a bloody pulp. Next, he punched him in the solar plexus with a left bending him over then followed that with a right elbow to the temple. The man groaned in and fell to the ground, where Charlie began to kick him until Dani was able to pull him away from the man.

"Crews, stand over there now!" she ordered.

She looked at his face which was cold and furious, but he listened to her and back away. Charlie had crossed the line and she knew she had to protect him before he either lost his badge or worse. Dani moved to the man, turned him onto his stomach, and handcuffed him then she leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"If you say anything about what he did to you, I'll make sure you end up dead in prison," Dani told him. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," he moaned.

"You attacked me and him and then he defended himself. Understand," she stated.

She now helped him up to his feet. Looking over at Charlie, she saw that he was calmed and the expression on his face was placid.

"Call this in, Crews," she ordered.

"Yes, Det. Reese," he said.

"Then take statements," she told him.

"Yes, Reese," he said.

LIFE

By six o'clock they were ready to leave for the night. Walk side by side with the back of their hands rubbing up against each other, they headed for the elevator. Once they got on the elevator and the doors closed she turned and looked at Charlie.

"Do we need to talk about what happened with the manager?" she asked him.

He could see her eyes were dark with anger. His actions almost put her in a position that would have gotten him tossed off the force and Dani in trouble.

"Nope," he answered.

"You can't afford to lose control like that, Crews. You are a cop not a con," she told him.

"I know," he said.

"I hope so," she said then she grabbed his tie and pulled him close for a kiss.

Once she let go of him he straightened with a smile on his face.

"I'm driving home," she said then the doors opened and she walked off the elevator.

He followed behind her chuckling to himself.

With Dani behind the wheel it was a quick drive to Charlie's mansion. As she pulled the Maserati in to the driveway, they could see that work had begun to turn the garage in a large apartment for Ted and Olivia. Entering the house Charlie saw Rachel coming down the stairs. She was dressed to go out.

"Hey, Rachel," said Dani as she continued to the kitchen.

Charlie looked at her: "Where are you going?"

"Out with friends," she said as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"What friends?" he asked.

"You're not my father, Charlie," she said as she continued to the door.

Dani carrying a pizza box came out from the kitchen area and looked at Charlie staring at Rachel as she readied to leave.

"Ted ordered us a pizza," Dani said to him then she started up the stairs.

"Rachel," he said then was interrupted by Dani.

"If you want pizza and sex, you better come with me now, Charlie," she said.

He looked at Dani and grinned, who started to run up the stairs.

"Don't be too late," he said to Rachel then chased after Dani.

Rachel stood and watched for a moment then laughed: "I really like her."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Six

It was just about midnight. Charlie was lying in bed with Dani in his arms smelling her hair, which had a hint of citrus and honey. He was a man of obsessions; he knew that. Zen was an obsession which allowed him to survive prison. It gave him focus and kept him from losing his mind. Now Dani was becoming an obsession. But she wasn't going to help him survive prison; she was going to help survive life.

Charlie's smartphone began to ring. Dani groaned and out her arm around his midsection, as he reached for the phone on the bed stand.

"Crews," he answered.

"_Someone tried to kill ADA Griffiths. They ended popping her husband. She wants you involved_," Tidwell said.

"Was she hurt?" asked Charlie.

"_No. Do you know where she lives_?" he asked.

"Venice Canals," he said.

"_That's right, but you would know that, wouldn't you? She was the lawyer who got you out of prison_," he said.

"I'm aware of that, Captain," Charlie said.

"_Do I need to call your partner_?" Tidwell asked.

"I can take care of it," Charlie said then hung.

He looked down at Dani, who had her chin resting on his chest.

"What is it, Crews?" she asked.

"Someone tried to kill Constance Griffith and ended up killing her husband. She wants us involved," he said.

"You mean she wants you involved, Charlie," she said then kissed his chest. "I need to shower before I go."

"Okay, honey," he said, as his mind drifted to thoughts of Connie Griffiths.

Yes, his relationship with her was now strained and there was a quality of unfulfilled passion between the two of them, but he owed her so much. He owed her his freedom. If someone was trying to kill her then he needed to do something about it, while making sure she is safe.

"Charlie, do you want to scrub my back!" yelled Dani from the master bedroom bathroom.

Thoughts of Connie Griffiths were now pushed to the back of his mind as a smile brightened his face. He quickly got out of bed and rushed into the bathroom.

LIFE

The Venice Canals in Venice Beach were supposed to remind people of Venice, Italy. What they lacked in the Italianate charm and splendor of Venice they made up in real estate value and charming setting. Dani pulled up behind the three patrol cars that were there to go along with the two unmarked cars and the CSI van and the ME ambulance. As she and Charlie got out she noticed Captain Tidwell and another detective talking to ADA Griffiths, who she noticed tow about things bout: she was dressed in a black chic dress and her makeup was smeared from crying.

Charlie stared at the dead body of Constance's husband. It appeared that he was gunned down by her Mercedes Benz. Instead of walking over to Constance, he walked over to the body. Dani followed him. Charlie knelt down beside the body and saw he took three rounds in the back. Form the position of the body Charlie could see that he was probably protecting Constance when the shooting occurred.

"What do you think, Crews?" Dani asked.

"I think this was a driver by hit gone bad," he said.

She looked at her partner and lover and saw that this was the Charlie on the edge, who didn't always remember he was a cop mean to follow the law.

Charlie stood up and walked over to where Tidwell was trying to calm Constance. As he got closer she started crying and collapsed into his arms sobbing. He put his arms around her protectively and kissed the top of her.

Dani compared herself to the lawyer in Charlie's arms. She was beautiful and Dani new that men found her sexy and hot, but she wasn't sure that they found her beautiful like a Constance Griffiths. Constance dressed in expensive feminine clothes, while wore clothes that were almost similar to the clothes some of the men detectives wore. ADA Griffiths was ladylike, a perfect damsel in distress, while she was far from a lady and a human wrecking ball when she wanted to be. She was even closer to Charlie's age, which one hand made Dani smile. At least, she was younger than ADA Griffiths.

Tidwell watched Dani watching her partner comfort the ADA. He knew who well enough to know that she didn't like her being in his arms. She was standing looking calm but underneath she was seething. He liked that. Maybe this case could make their relationship blow up in their faces then he could come to the rescue: Tidwell, the white knight.

"I thought Franklin was living in New York," Charlie said.

"He was, but we were trying to work things out, trying to get work things out between us," she sobbed.

"What happened?" he asked.

"We had taken separate cars. He parked on the street. When I was getting out of my car, I heard the screech of a car and then…," she paused to compose herself. "Franklin ran over to protect me as they fired and they shot him not me."

"It's okay, Connie," he said.

Tidwell saw how Dani's eyes became fire when Charlie called the ADA Connie. He smiled. He couldn't help it; it made him happy.

"What cases are you currently working on?" he asked.

"Gangbangers and the arrest of a van from Mexico loaded with cocaine and high quality mescal," she said.

Charlie looked at Dani. Their eyes met. For a moment Tidwell felt uncomfortable at the way they stared at each other. You didn't have to be a mind reader to know that they almost had a telepathic bond with each other and that this conversation was not for anyone's consumption but their own. After a few moments, Charlie smiled and Dani's eyes softened.

"We should take her inside and get a written statement," said Tidwell.

Charlie looked at Tidwell like his presence was an intrusion.

"Come on, Connie, let's go inside," he said.

He escorted into her modest three bedroom house on the canal. Taking her to the sofa he sat her down then walked over to a bar and grabbed a crystal rock glass and crystal decanter. He took the top off the decanter and sniffed it. It was bourbon. He poured her a stiff drink then gave it to her. As she sipped it, Charlie noticed Dani was in a whispered and intense conversation with Captain Tidwell.

"I don't get it. Okay, he has money, but I don't it," Tidwell whispered.

"I don't care if you don't get it," she hissed.

"I know Tidwell is no slouch in bed, so it can't be that," he said.

"You're an idiot," she said.

"Det. Reese, do you want to take her statement," Charlie called to his partner.

She rolled her eyes at Tidwell and walked over to Constance and sat down beside her. Taking her notebook and pen out of her leather jacket pocket she stated to coax a statement out of her, as Charlie walked over to Tidwell. Seeing Charlie coming Tidwell started to walk towards the sofa, but Charlie placed a firm hand on his chest and stopped.

"Are you sure you are wanting to put a hand on a superior officer, Det. Crews?" asked Tidwell.

Charlie looked at him with his lifeless grim reaper eyes, which made Tidwell glad he was carrying his service revolver.

"I'm not a detective at this moment. No, in this moment, at this time, I am not a cop. What I am is someone who is asking you a simple question: do we have a problem?" Charlie said in a cold whispered tone.

Even though Charlie was only a few inches taller than Tidwell, Captain Tidwell almost felt like the man loomed over him. He had to admit to himself, though not to anyone else, that he was a little intimidated by Charlie Crews.

"Are you threatening me?" Tidwell asked him.

"Not yet. You'll know when I'm threatening you," he said.

"I was having a personal discussion with Dani," Tidwell said.

"It's Det. Reese not Dani. She is no longer Dani to you. She is only Det. Reese. If you think she is Dani to you then you are mistaken and I will have to point your mistake out to you," Charlie said his voice still nothing more than a whisper. "She is Det. Reese to you."

"I'm allowed to talk to Det. Reese, Det. Crews," Tidwell said.

"You are allowed to talk to Det. Reese. I have no problem with that. But don't talk to Dani," he smiled.

It was a dead smile, one which scared several prisoners in Pelican Bay.

"You a scary mother fucker, Crews. I'm kind of glad you are no longer a con," said Tidwell as he walked over to the sofa to hear the questioning.

It was three in the morning when they called it a night and returned to Charlie's place. Dani and Charlie drove there in silence with Charlie knowing that eventually would break her silence with critique of his relationship with Constance Griffith. A patrol car and two officers were left in front of Constance's house and there was a promise by Charlie that he would be by to see in the afternoon.

Once they were ensconced in Charlie's master bedroom, they unclipped their gun and badges and placed them on the chest of drawers then quietly got undressed. Once then were undressed they turned and within seconds they attacked each other. No words were exchanged, no explanations or arguments that would come in the morning.

LIFE

Dani was sitting toast and butter with a large cup of freshly brewed coffee along with Ted and Olivia, when Charlie came into the kitchen dressed in a black Cerutti suit with light blue dress shirt and lavender silk tie. He poured himself a cup of coffee then papaya from the counter, sat down at the kitchen table, smiled then took his knife out and started to cut up the fruit to eat.

"Well, Ted and I should get going. Talk to you later Dani," Olivia said.

Charlie looked at Ted then shrugged and followed her out of the kitchen. Dani sat glaring at Charlie, who merely stared blankly back at her.

"I don't want to hear one Zen fucking saying. I want to talk to you," she said.

"Okay, honey," he said as he bit into a piece of papaya.

"Do not fight my battles for me, Charlie. I'll handle Tidwell," she growled.

"All I merely did was let Captain Tidwell know where I stood," he said.

"Don't," she said. "I can handle him."

"You can handle Tidwell," Charlie said as he ate more of his breakfast fruit.

"Connie, Crews. You call her Connie. She is the one who told you to drop things after you arrested Hollis and now you are calling her Connie because of a few tears," Dani said.

"Don't forget the dead husband, too, Dani," he added.

"I won't forget Connie's dead husband," she spat.

"I owe her for getting me out, Dani. I have no interest in her beyond that. She was a close friend, but now she is someone I knew and owe," he told her.

"Connie," Dani hissed.

"I don't love her; I love you," Charlie said.

"You remember this, Crews, you belong to me now." She told him.

"Okay, honey, I belong to you," he smiled.

"Remember that, Crews," she said.

He looked into her dark brown eyes, which were currently attempting to burn a hole in him. For a moment Charlie wondered how he got so lucky to have this young, beautiful, sensuous fireball in love with him. When he was in prison, at some point he stopped fantasizing about women. They were out of reach and untouchable from his cell. He knew he needed to focus on what was in front of him, which was getting through the day to day grind of staying alive.

Once he got out of prison and he had the money then he slept with as many women as he could convince to sleep with him. Night after night there was another woman, a new one, and on some nights there were two. But that got tiresome eventually, as it became just sex, a physical act without soul. With Dani he recaptured his soul and the soul was once again there when he made love.

"I love you, Dani. Whatever you say goes," he said.

She smiled: "Good."

She took a sip of her coffee.

"After breakfast we'll start looking into the two cases ADA Griffiths is working on," she said.

"Sounds good," he said then ate more of his papaya.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Seven

"Charlie, I need to get a change of clothes at my apartment, so I'm taking the Maserati. I'll be back in an hour to pick you up," Dani said as she sipped her morning coffee, "then we can start investigating."

"Okay, honey," Charlie said as he ate a honeydew melon.

"Stop calling me honey, Crews," growled Dani as she grabbed the keys he proffered to her with his right hand.

She kissed his cheek and hustled out. Rachel was sitting across from Charlie staring at him.

"There is a huge dining room with a big round table but we seem to only eat in the kitchen. Why?" she asked him.

He stopped eating for a moment and thought about it.

"It's a conundrum. Maybe we should a family dinner with you me, Dani, Ted and Olivia and use the dining room table," he said.

"I vote that Olivia cooks," Rachel said as she ate her bowl of cereal.

Charlie grinned and nodded in the affirmative then threw in a shrug, also.

"So, Rachel, what are you plans for today?" he asked.

"I'm going over to meet with admissions person at UCLA," she said.

"Excellent. The Buddha once said: Through zeal, knowledge is gotten; through lack of zeal, knowledge is lost," Charlie grinned.

Rachel had finished her meal and took off to UCLA, while Charlie waited for Dani to pick him up. He was almost ready to call Dani on his smartphone when the front doorbell rang. Answering the door he was greeted by a right to the jaw by Jack Reese, followed by a left to the gut and then a right to the gut. The former SWAT captain, though, was enjoying this beat down of a man he thought of as a threat to him and his family. He then hit Charlie with another right to his cheekbone and left to the side of the face.

"Leave my daughter alone, Crews," he growled. "You are bad for her."

In prison Jack had been beaten so many times that he grew used to the pain of them. He had learned to ignore the pain and think through it. Charlie was driven back into his home by the beating Jack Reese was laying on him. Not willing to take any more of a beating Charlie kicked Jack Reese in the shin hard enough to stop his onslaught. He then grabbed Jack's left arm and dislocating his elbow.

"Crews," Dani yelled.

Dani looked from her father who was now on the floor writhing in pain to Charlie, whose lip was bleeding, there was cut under his left eye, and a red welt on the right side of his face. Aside from the blood and bruising Charlie stood over her father calmly staring down at him. He looked over at Dani.

"Your father came for a visit," he said.

"He beat you?" she asked.

Charlie shrugged his shoulders.

"Fuck him. What about me?" groaned Jack Reese.

"You assaulted a police officer. I should handcuff you and drag your sorry ass off to a cell," she said with a feral protectiveness that even she didn't know she had.

"Bastard dislocated my elbow," Jack Reese spat out, as he got to his knees.

"I can put it back in for you," smiled Charlie.

"Crews, just do it," Dani ordered.

Charlie knelt down beside Jack Reese. He grabbed his elbow then with a twist and bending the elbow he forced it back into place. Jack Reese screamed in pain then threw a punch with his right hand hitting Charlie squarely on his jaw splitting his lip.

Dani pulled her service revolver and aimed it at her father.

"Touch him one more time and I will put you down," she warned him.

Her father glared at his daughter who stood there with a gun in her hands pointed at him. Getting up slowly, he turned and looked down at Charlie, who knelt down on one knee.

"You are nothing but trouble. Do her a favor and quit the police department and stay away from her," he said then stormed out of the house.

With Jack Reese gone, Dani holstered her weapon and rushed over to Charlie. She held his face in her two small hands, as he looked up at her.

"Jesus, Charlie, I really must love you," she said. "Let's get you patched up."

LIFE

Finally, at their desks after Dani patched up Charlie they sat reading the reports on the two cases ADA Griffiths was working on. Even though the gangbanger case seemed the better fit for retaliation, Charlie was drawn to the cocaine and mescal case. There was something about the case that gnawed at him. The smugglers would talk. They were offered a nice deal giving them reduced sentences but they wouldn't talk.

Reading there statements and reviewed their interview tapes he was reminded how Roman Nevikov's men wouldn't talk. It wasn't from loyalty but fear. They were afraid to talk. Whoever they worked for was a man like Nevikov or worse.

"I think we should re-interview the gangbangers," said Dani to Charlie.

He looked at her with that blank face that said he was on the verge of saying or doing something that would annoy her.

"You know what I think, Reese," he said.

"No, I don't know what you think," she sighed.

"I think that people kill for reasons. I'm thinking gangbangers are used to being arrested. I met more than one in prison and they take pride in doing their time. It's their way of making their bones. I am thinking that whoever put a hit on Connie," he stopped and cringed at calling her Connie then looked at Dani.

She was glaring at him.

"I'm thinking that ADA Griffiths is being made an example by someone who instills fear in his employees. He doesn't care if he lost some cocaine or mescal from Mexico; he cares that his people and others know to fear him. I'm thinking that someone in ADA Griffiths department knows who behind this," he stopped his ramble. "What do you think?"

"That you hurt my head sometimes," she answered then thought about what he said. "Maybe you have a point. Maybe we should re-interview the smugglers."

"Yeah, I'm thinking we should re-interview the smugglers," he smiled.

"They are being held pending trial, Charlie. That means a prison visit," she said.

"Love is unconditional; fear is conditional. Love is strong; fear is weak. Love frees; fear imprisons," he said.

Suddenly, Dani wanted to hold him and kiss him. She wanted to protect him. She had never wanted to protect someone before.

"Let's go, Charlie," she said.

He smiled: "Okay, Dani."

LIFE

Dani and Charlie sat at a table in the visitors' room. She could sense his unease with being there, even though he seemed unaffected. Carlos Rodriguez was brought to them by two guards, who then left them alone with Rodriguez. His partner Joseph Alvarez would be seen afterwards.

"I'm Det. Reese and this is Det. Crews. We think we can help you," said Dani.

Before they could go any further with the interview Charlie's smartphone began to ring. Dani looked at him as if she wanted to throttle him. He grinned then took the smartphone and saw the call was coming from Mickey Rayborn.

"I have to take this," he said then got up from the table and walked over to the corner of the room.

He answered the phone.

"Yeah," he said.

"_So friendly, kiddo. I'm calling you to do you a favor_," Rayborn said.

"I find that hard to believe," he said then noticed Dani was staring at him.

"_How about that Jack Reese, huh? I hear he has a hell of a right_," laughed Rayborn.

"What is it you want?" Charlie asked trying to stay calm.

"_You, kiddo, but I know that will take time, so I've decided to help you and your lawyer benefactor. Look to the name Martin Burke. He has a taste for quality mescal_," Rayborn said.

"What are you up to?" asked Charlie.

"_I don't know, kiddo, maybe I'm getting Zen in my old age. Helping you is helping me_," he laughed and then hung up.

He looked at Dani then he inhaled slowly and released.

LIFE

"What's wrong, Charlie?" asked Dani as she drove them.

"Martin Burke," he said the name knowing she would recognize it.

"Lt. Martin Burke. He worked SWAT with my father," Dani said.

"Mickey Rayborn was the one that called me. He said we should look at him," Charlie told her.

"You believe him?" she asked.

"I don't disbelieve him," said Charlie.

"Okay, Charlie," she rolled her eyes. "What does Rayborn want from you?"

"I'm not sure," he said. "We should look into Marin Burke. He was part of your father's SWAT team during the Bank of LA robbery. I'm betting he's part of Mickey Rayborn's syndicate."

"Okay, we will look Burke," she said.

"Reese, Crews, my office," called Tidwell.

They got up from their desks and ventured into the Captain's office. Tidwell was sitting behind his desk looking like he was contemplating a haiku.

"ADA Griffiths wants you part of her protection detail," he started with a smile. "It seems that Det. Crews is the only cop she trusts. Isn't that nice for you, Det. Crews?"

"Trust is tremendously powerful. Osho said that," grinned Charlie.

"Well, she powerfully trusts you," said Tidwell.

"He who does not trust enough, will not be trusted. Lao Tzu said that," Charlie's grin widened.

"I want you two to hustle over to ADA Griffiths house and check in on her. I'm putting you in charge of her protection detail," said Tidwell.

"We're homicide detectives," said Reese.

"And she is a victim of a homicide and in danger. Keep her out of danger," said Tidwell.

"Like dust thrown in the wind, trouble falls back upon the fool who harms the harmless," Charlie offered Tidwell another Zen quote knowing he was getting under his skin with them.

"Get going detectives," Tidwell ordered.

As they were leaving the office, Tidwell cleared his throat.

"Det. Reese, can you come back here and shut the door," he said.

Dani looked up at Charlie and nodded letting him know she can handle this. Charlie walked back to his desk, while Dani went back into the office and shut the door.

"What is it?" she snapped.

"Are you still in the program?" he asked. "We don't want any backsliding by you falling off the wagon."

"I'm doing fine and I go to meetings," she said.

"You have time for meetings with Charlie Crews taking up so much of your life?" he asked.

"I've got plenty of time for meetings," she hissed.

"Crews isn't good with fathers is he? I got a call that Jack Reese visited him this morning and I can believe that after seeing Crews' face," Tidwell stated.

"My father attacked Charlie," said Dani.

"And Crews responds like a con and dislocates the man's elbow. He cracks a bone in his shin and dislocates his elbow," said Tidwell.

"My father is lucky I didn't shoot him," Dani said.

"You'd shoot your father for Charlie Crews, really, Dani?" Tidwell asked.

"Yes, I would," she said coldly.

"Would you have shot him for me?" he asked.

"No," she smiled then turned and left his office.

As she got to her desk Charlie looked at her with questions in his eyes.

"Don't ask," she growled at him.

"I won't ask now but I will ask later," he said.

She looked at him for a moment deciding if getting into a fight was worth it. He body unclenched suddenly. No, it wasn't worth it.

"He's having trouble letting go of me," she said.

Charlie smiled: "I don't blame him, Dani."

LIFE

Dani pulled up to the Constance Griffith's house and parked in front of the house. They got out of the car and marked side by side with their knuckles rubbing up against each other. Charlie knocked on the door instead of ringing the bell. Within seconds Constance opened the door and fell into his arms.

As he hugged her, he looked at Dani with an expression that asked – what should I do? Dani's response was a smoldering look that actually made Charlie smile. He liked her jealous. It meant she had emotions for him, strong emotions for him.

"Let's go inside, Connie," he said.

Charlie escorted her to a sofa then sat her down.

"I'm supposed to set up a wake for him and a funeral and all I want to do is cry and wish that he never visited me," she said softly.

"I'll take care of the wake and funeral, Connie. Just give me his religious association and such. I take care of it," Charlie said.

"Thank you, Charlie," she said.

"Crews, can I see you in the kitchen?" asked Dani.

He followed Dani down a hallway. Once they were in the kitchen, she grabbed his tie and pulled him down to her level for a passionate kiss that Charlie didn't want to break away from him. Dani stopped then pushed him away.

"Okay, Charlie, I can see you have to take care of her right now, but don't forget who you love and who'll kick you out of your bed," she smirked.

"You own me, Dani," he said then kissed her again.

Once they were done, she sent said: "Oh, you cracked a bone in my father shin and I think his elbow is messed up."

"The first dislocation is the hardest," he said.

"Have you had your elbow dislocated, Charlie?" she asked.

"Oh, sure," he answered.

"What else?" she asked.

"Fingers, both shoulders, both elbows, wrist, ankle. They don't fight fair in prison, Dani," he said.

"How did you handle it?" she asked.

"Ignore the pain and keep fighting until the guards come and believe me they took their time to get to me," he smirked. "Survive another day."

She put her arms around his waist and hugged him, so he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you, Charlie," she said.

"I love you, too, Dani," he smiled.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Eight

Charlie sat at his desk looking at all the information they now had on Martin Burke. He owned five clubs: three in LA and two in San Francisco. One of the clubs was a biker bar, one a fairly well know bar for drugs and gangbangers in Compton and upscale club in West Hollywood. He was also part owner of a hotel in Vegas and owner of a boutique hotel in LA.

"They don't even try to hide their corruption," said Charlie.

"My father seems to be the only one who is wealthy," Dani said softly.

"Funny, isn't it?" he smirked.

"We are never going to get anything on Burke," she said.

"Reese, who was weaker, Carlos Rodriguez or Joseph Alvarez?" he asked her.

"What do you mean, Crews?" she asked, afraid that she did understand him.

She saw that glint in his eyes. He was once again walking the edge between Charlie the con and Charlie the cop. It was a razor's edge and she knew that it cut him to walk it, but he couldn't help himself. These were the men who were responsible for ruining his life, for causing him pain, for making Charlie the con.

"If applied pressure which one would crack first?" he asked.

"Alvarez," she answered. "What do you have in mind, Charlie?"

He stood up and stared at her blankly for a moment before answering.

"Just curious," he said then he walked away.

LIFE

The funeral for Constance's husband was well attended. Charlie and Dani kept close by her, as well as a couple of uniformed officers. As Constance and her husband's family wept with grief, Charlie checked out the crowd at the cemetery. He was unsurprised to see a smiley Mickey Rayborn and Amanda Puryer. Both were dressed in black, yet her smug grin and his big, amused smile seemed to say that he was enjoying himself. When he noticed that Charlie had spotted him, he gave him a friendly wave then waved him over.

"I'll be right back," said Charlie to Dani who glared at him for leaving during the Episcopalian's priest's words of comfort.

He walked up to Mickey Rayborn.

"I love a good funeral, don't you, kiddo?" Mickey smiled.

"Martin Burke us part of your syndicate, so why would you turn on him?" Charlie asked.

"Family, kiddo, it's a complicated beast. Sometimes it needs loves and affections and sometimes it needs to be treated more firmly," he said.

"Has Martin been a bad boy, Mickey?" asked Charlie.

"We are all bad boys at some point in our lives, Charlie, even you," he smiled.

"He shouldn't have tried to kill Constance," said Charlie.

"You're preaching to the choir, kiddo," said Mickey, who then looked at Charlie with a sort of affection. "We should have lunch someday soon on my yacht. You can bring Dani, if you like. I know how close you two have become."

"Is that a threat?" growled Charlie coldly, as he stepped forward and entered Mickey's personal space.

"It's only a threat if my chef doesn't wash his hands and then it's a threat to us all," he chuckled.

"Mr. Crews, could you please step back?" asked Amanda. "It looks like you are going to hurt Mr. Rayborn."

Slowly, Charlie stepped back.

"We're at a funeral, kiddo, not in the yard getting exercise. Do you remember those days, Charlie?" asked Rayborn.

"I'll never forget them," said Charlie.

"I heard that they are a dangerous time for some prisoners. I bet Martin Burke knows that, kiddo, don't you?" smiled Rayborn. "The Martin Burke I know doesn't like to leave mistakes or loose ends."

"Mr. Rayborn, we should go," said Amanda.

"Really, my favorite part of the funeral is coming up, too. You know when they put the body in the whole," he smiled and walked away with Amanda.

Charlie watched them go and thought about what Mickey said.

LIFE

Carlos Rodriguez and Joseph Alvarez were in the prison yard getting their exercise time in. While Carlos lifted weights with a group of gangbangers from East LA, while Joseph Alvarez sat on the stadium seating and enjoyed the sun.

"You Joseph Alvarez?" he heard a voice ask him.

He blocked the sun and looked at a six foot six white man who looked like he was a former NFL lineman along with two other white men who looked like NFL linebackers.

"Yeah," he said apprehensively.

"Det. Charlie Crews said you need protection and we are supposed to provide if you talk to him," said the man mountain.

"I don't need protection," Alvarez said.

"Really," the man mountain sat down beside Alvarez. The other two guys sat down on the other side of him.

"I think you should watch," he said to Alvarez, "cuz I think your buddy might be in trouble."

"How da fuck do you know?" he asked him.

"Someone offered us to kill him. Charlie pays better," smiled the man mountain.

Alvarez watched as Rodriguez called for as he did bench pressing. As he laid back on the bench, three men came up to him seeming to help. One of them stood behind the weight while the other two took up position on either side of him. As he went to reach up for the weight, which looked to be two hundred pounds, the two men grabbed his arms pulled them out so he looked like he was being ready for crucifixion, while the other man lifted the weight up and dropped it down on the Rodriguez's throat. He was a dead man.

"Yeah, so you still don't want to talk to Charlie Crews?" asked the man mountain.

"I want to talk to him," said Alvarez.

"Smart move. You now are under our protection. Don't trust anyone but us," he said.

"I understand," Alvarez said.

"You're learning cupcake," laughed the man mountain. "I'll call Charlie and let him know you are ready to talk."

LIFE

"I know you did something, Crews, and now I want to know what it was," Dani growled at him.

Today was their day off. Constance Griffith's safety was in other people's hands and the investigation was slow, or so Dani thought. She told Charlie she need time alone, as she found herself becoming addicted to him as much as she had become to drugs and alcohol. His presence in her daily life was becoming her fix and she needed to think about that. Was love just another drug?

He didn't argue with, though he did quite some bullshit Zen shit that she knew he probably didn't believe because if he was do fucking Zen he'd be dead and Nevikov alive. As she luxuriated in a hot bath after her third cup of coffee, she was forced out of her meditation by a call from Captain Tidwell. It was bad enough that Tidwell called to tell her that Carlos Rodriguez was dead, but then when he added that Joseph Alvarez was now willing to sing like a bird, she knew somehow in her gut that Charlie Crews was involved.

"He's the kicker, detective," said Tidwell, "he wants to talk to you and give you all the information he knows. This is a nice gold star for you, Dani, if it pans out. You'll make lieutenant easily. I know you like that idea. Shit, you might even beat Seever to that rank."

She knew he was smiling on the other end of the phone, like he somehow had a hand in this. Just like he somehow felt he was part of her rescue, when that was all due to the determination of Charlie Crews and his readiness to sacrifice himself. Suddenly, they had a huge break in the case and it was her they wanted to confess to and provide information that might get them to Martin Burke. This was Charlie Crews at work and she knew.

Getting dressed in jeans, a tee shirt and jean shirt over that, which she didn't even bother to tuck in or button, she grabbed her leather jacket and drove to her addiction fully intending on getting answers. She barged into his huge home, a place which she knew he didn't know what some of the rooms where for, and easily found him by his pool with his pale face titled up towards the sun, dressed in jeans and an expensive hoodie, and looking like a man who wanted to fuck not fight with. Yeah, he was her addiction, maybe her greatest addiction, but she was getting good at denying her addictions.

"Joseph Alvarez wants to talk to me and Carlos Rodriguez is dead: talk to me, Crews," she demanded.

Crews. He knew when Dani was either angry with him or wanting to exert professional distance them because she called him Crews. The apple in his right hand was going to be eaten on his own, he thought, and then he brought it up to his mouth and bit into it. It was sweet, hard, and satisfying, not unlike Dani Reese. A smile curved his lips.

"He is under my protection," Charlie answered.

He told her that he'd be completely honest with her, so now was the time to see if she could handle it.

"Under a police officer's protection?" she asked.

"No. He's under my protection," said Charlie.

She shook her head at this. This was Charlie the con not Charlie the cop. Alvarez was being protected by cons who he either bought off or owed him or both.

"Why Alvarez and not Rodriguez or both of them?" she asked him.

"Couldn't save them both, so I had to make a choice. Alvarez was the one more likely to crack and talk," he said.

"What do you recommend I do, Crews?" she asked.

"Get all the information you can from him and offer him WitSec," he said. "He can open a door to Burke."

"And do I tell Tidwell why Alvarez is alive? Do I tell him that my boyfriend has cons protecting him?" she asked.

"That is none of his business or your business. That's prison business," he said.

"Jesus, Charlie, I don't know who you are sometimes," she said honestly.

He stared at her with his green eyes seeming to turn a shade of dark blue in the sunlight. The expression on his face seemed conflicted along with some pain mixed with sorrow.

"I don't know who I am sometimes, either," Charlie said.

She went to speak and then stopped herself. What did she expect from a man who had been so hurt and so damaged by others? Even if he wanted to be the straight arrow he used to be, that was beaten and learned to fight back at all cost in Pelican Bay. That man had been deserted by the law, his fellow officers, his wife, his family, by everyone except his mother, who died of a broken heart and a lawyer who took up his cause. Now Dani had to decide right there and then how she was going to support that man.

He stared at her and waited for her to throw him a lifeline. Charlie Crews knew he'd survive she couldn't handle who he was and what he did sometimes. He'd understand if she turned her back on him and decided to protect herself. It would hurt. Yeah, it would hurt more than his ex-wife turning her back on him because he felt a connection to that tough and beautiful and younger woman that he never felt with anyone else, but he'd survive. It would be just another knife wound, just this time it would be to his heart.

Dani had given up coke and other drugs. She gave up alcohol, though she admittedly fell off that wagon. She was strong and getting stronger. Some of that strength she drew from Charlie Crews and his love for her. She could give up Charlie Crews, but she wasn't going to. If she had to have one addiction she couldn't beat then let it be Charlie Crews.

"I know who you are, Charlie," she said.

Hearing his name Charlie made his heart melt.

"Who am I, Dani?" he asked.

"You're mine," she said.

It was as if they had both been moored to the spots they were standing in and suddenly their anchors were lifted and they could move again. Charlie tossed aside his apple and Dani ripped off her leather jacket and jean shirt. They rushed into each other's arms and Charlie lifted her off her feet and began to devour her mouth. She reciprocated until she needed to breathe then she pulled her lips from his and took a deep breath.

"Take me upstairs, Charlie, and make love to me," she said.

"I have to do whatever you tell me to do Dani, because I belong to you," he replied then scooped her up into his arms and headed into the house.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Nine

Charlie was escorting ADA Griffith in his Maserati to speak with Joseph Alvarez. Dani had him at the station to inform him that Alvarez was in the interview room where he had spilled his guts on Martin Burke's little habit of having cocaine and mescal transported up from Mexico for his West Hollywood club. It was considered his private stock, the best mescal and the best quality cocaine for special guests. Now it was ADA Griffiths job along with the US Marshalls to work out a deal with Alvarez which would allow the LAPD to bring in Burke and whoever was involved in the attempt on Constance.

"Charlie, can I asked you a question?" she broke the silence between them.

"Sure. I'm not positive I'll answer to but you can ask it if you want," he said.

"Are you involved with Det. Reese, Charlie?" she asked him.

"Is this the ADA or is this Constance Griffith asking?" he asked her.

"It's me, Charlie," she said. "I see the two of you together, the way you look at each other, and I see that she looks at you like she owns you and you look at her like you own her. I thought you might be involved with her. There seems to be something there."

"Reese is my partner, Connie," he said with a smirk and that was all he was going to say to her about Dani.

She could tell by his tone that was the extent of an answer she was going to get.

"I miss you, Charlie," she said softly. "I know I've made some bad choices recently when it comes to you, Charlie. I'd like another chance."

"We have to live with the choices we make, Connie," he said.

"You still haven't forgiving me for my not supporting you, but, as I told you, Charlie, these men that you want to go after are powerful. I wanted to protect you from them. You know that you don't know when to stop," she said.

"I didn't need your protection, Connie; I needed your support," he said.

"I'm sorry, Charlie," she said.

He kept his eyes on the road. He needed to keep her safe, protect her for what she had done for him, but that was all he needed to do. Everything else, including his love, belonged to Dani.

LIFE

Dani stood in Tidwell's office. She wanted to be waiting for Charlie either in the interview room or at her desk, but he had called her into his office and he was the captain.

"I got a call from someone at IAD. They are interested in Crews again because of what he did to your father," he said.

"My father assaulted Charlie first and didn't intend on stopping until he fought back," she said.

"I'm just giving you a warning, that's all," Tidwell said.

Dani glared at him with her brown eyes taking on the aspect of a laser trying to cut through stone.

"I'm trying to be a friend," he said.

"I'll never fuck you again. You know that, don't you?" she said.

"I'm not trying to get you into bed. I'm trying to be your friend, that's all," he said trying to sound sincere.

"My father was wrong to do what he did. He's lucky he didn't leave Charlie's place feet first," she spat the words out.

"Jesus, detective, you know what Tidwell is thinking," Tidwell said.

"Not very much," she said then turned on her heel and stormed out of his office.

Returning to her desk she started wondering what bothered her more Tidwell's attempts to interfere in her life or the fact Charlie had gone to pick up Constance Griffith. She sat down and glared at the elevator banks waiting for Charlie and ADA Griffith to walk off the damn thing.

Alvarez wanted to talk to her otherwise she would have insisted on picking up Constance Griffith. It wasn't that she didn't trust Charlie because she did; it was Constance she didn't trust. She still treated him like the man who needed her so much in prison, the guy that needed to be rescued before he disappeared into himself and left nothing but the guy willing to do anything to survive. Her Charlie didn't need rescuing, well, at least not that kind of rescuing.

The _ding_ from an arriving elevator caught her attention. Dani looked up to see two men in suits getting off and walking her way. The US Marshalls were here. Now all she needed was Charlie.

LIFE

The highway was just too crowded with traffic travelling at a snail's pace, so Charlie and the black and white following him decided to take surface streets. As they made their way from Venice Beach are to downtown LA, they passed an intersection where suddenly a black SUV roared through the light and hammered the front of his car sending him his car into an uncontrolled spin.

Constance screamed as Charlie tried to gain control of the car. His airbags released becoming more of a problem for him to deal with steering his car then a safety device. Behind him he heard gunfire as another SUV T-boned the black and white and then some men opened fire on the officers. Charlie was glad that his old partner was Bobby Stark hadn't pulled the duty to follow them. His car came to a stop, so he pulled his sidearm and ready for a firefight. He looked over at Connie, who was frightened on the verge of tears.

"Stay in the car. Don't do anything foolish, except stay in the car. Back up with be here soon," he said.

He got out of the car and stayed firing on those he killed the uniformed cops. There were four of them. He immediately took out two of them with headshots since he expected they were wearing body armor. As the other two assailants headed back into the SUV, the SUV that hit them had turned around and now was headed towards them at a good speed.

Charlie had emptied his clip, so he calmly stood there and discharged his clip and reloaded as he took fire from the remaining men, who killed the uniforms, and prepared to deal with the oncoming SUV. He felt a burning his left upper arm, probably from a bullet, which he ignored. Next, he felt the burn from another bullet in his side, but he ignored it, as he turned and began to fire at the windshield of the oncoming SUV. He put six sounds into the driver side until he saw the telltale explosions of red then the SUV served out of control and up onto the sidewalk and into a storefront.

In the background he heard police sirens. Checking the other SUV, it backed up and took off, so he turned his attention to the SUV buried in the storefront. He started walking towards it with his weapon raised. As he got closer three men got out of the SUV. One of them turned to fire on Charlie but he took him down with four shots. His second clip was getting close to being empty as he fired on the other two men. He kneecapped one of them finally emptying his clip, just as the last guy turned on him.

This guy had dropped his weapon and was bleeding from the head. He saw that Charlie was bleeding from several wounds so he decided to rush him, as Charlie reached for his final clip. Charlie saw the man coming. He had pulled a knifed, so Charlie reached into his pocket and took out his folding knife and extended the blade. As the guy got to Charlie, he put on a mask of coldness and vengeance.

Connie watched from the car as Charlie fought. She wasn't sure if he was an avenging angel or something far worse, but she couldn't take her eyes off of him as he dispensed violence on those who tried to hurt them. A cold chill went down her spine, as she realized that this was the man, who survived prison, this was the man who many cons learned to fear during his time in Pelican Bay. Tears started to fall as she realized just how much damaged had been done to Charlie Crews.

As the police sirens got closer, Charlie and the man got into a knife fight. It was pleasant or well mannered, but the battle of two men who had spent time behind bars. Unfortunately for Charlie's opponent, he had spent less time than Charlie and fought far fewer battles in prison. Charlie ignored pain, blood loss, and commonsense as he let the man stab him in his side, so he could get close enough to stick his knife under the man's body armor under his right arm. The guy reacted by dropping his blade, which was a mistake. Charlie was about to finish him off not caring if it was now cold blooded murder, when he heard Bobby Stark's voice and felt his hand on his shoulder.

"Let go, Charlie, we'll take it from here," said Bobby.

At first he didn't react. He stared into the man's eyes and contemplated cutting his throat, but then slowly sanity started to creep back. This wasn't prison yard justice; this was outside the prison. And he was a cop. He couldn't kill the man in cold blood now.

"Hey, Bobby," he said, "do me a favor?"

"Sure, Charlie," said Bobby.

"Call Dani and tell her I'm going to be in the hospital for a couple of days," he said.

It was right then and there that he allowed reality back in his life and collapsed as the darkness that had wanted to claim him before; he allowed it to embrace him now. Bobby caught his old partner and yelled for an ambulance.

LIFE

Charlie woke up in a hospital room, which surprised him. He expected to wake up in a prison infirmary just so many times in the past. He looked around and saw a dozing Dani sitting in a chair in the corner. She looked rumpled and irritated and beautiful. As he stared at her, she cracked open and eye and saw that he was awake. For a few moments they merely stared at each other than Dani broke the silence.

"What the hell where you thinking, Crews?" she growled at him. "You almost got yourself killed."

"Hi, honey," he said.

"Don't call me, honey," she spate. "You have three bullet wounds and a stab wounds. Do you know how lucky you were that they all turned out to be…"

"Kiss me, Dani," he said interrupting her.

He knew the condition of his body even better than her. He'd spent too much time being sewn up, patched up, and plastered together in prison not to know that he was going to be fine. His thigh had been grazed; the bullet wound in his side was a clean through and through; the one that hit him in the upper arm did little muscle damage; and the stab wound missed anything vital.

Dani stood up and walked over the side of the bed then took his face in her small hands and kissed him. He thought that this was the best medicine anyone could give him: the love of Dani Reese.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, Charlie. I just got you; I don't want to think of a life without you," she said.

"I know, honey," he smiled.

"Don't call me honey," she said in a soft purring voice that sent good chills up and down his spine.

"Okay, honey," he replied softly and she kissed him again.

This time the kiss was long and passionate. Soon their tongues were wrestling for dominance until they heard someone clearing their throat. Dani stood up to see Tidwell standing in the door with Bobby Stark. Charlie noticed that Tidwell looked pissed, while his good buddy Bobby had a big amused smile on his face.

"You never stop do you, Charlie?" said Bobby.

"Why don't you wait outside, officer, while I talk to my detectives?" said Tidwell.

"Sure," said Bobby, who then looked over at Charlie. "I'll check you on later, Charlie."

"See you, Bobby," said Charlie.

Bobby Stark left and Tidwell shut the door. He looked at them barely hiding his annoyance.

"Well, you no longer have to worry about IAD for a while," said Tidwell. "You are a big hero right now. TV news even has footage of you fighting the bad guys, real John Wayne stuff."

"How is Connie?" Charlie asked.

"Fine. Not a scratch. She, the Marshalls, and Alvarez are working out a deal," he said then his face took on a look of amusement. "Oh, please try and not use a knife in a gunfight. It's against regs."

"We know who those guys were?" asked Charlie.

"Hired guns. Don't know who hired them yet," said Tidwell.

"Reese, when can I get out of here?" Charlie asked Dani.

"In a day or two, Charlie," she said.

"Tell the doctor that I'm good to go now," he said.

"Charlie, you will listen to the doctors and not leave one moment earlier than you are allowed," Dani said.

Tidwell looked at Dani. Just the caring in her eyes told him that he had lost her forever.

"I'll only listen to you, Dani," he smiled.

"Don't worry, I'll take you home soon," she smiled.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Ten

Dani picked up Charlie and drove him home in her Dodge Charger since his Maserati was in the shop being repaired. As he sat in the passenger seat he had to admit that his body was sore but he was glad to be going home with Dani.

Staring at her profile as she drove, he noticed the furrowed brow and tenseness in the lips. She was upset about something.

"What's wrong, Dani?" he asked her.

"Nothing," she answered curtly.

"I know something is wrong. Tell me, Dani," he said.

"It's nothing, Charlie," she said.

"Dani, don't lie to me," he said. "Tell me what's bothering you."

"Alvarez was able to name Martin Burke as the man who paid him for his Mexico runs. ADA Griffith and the Marshalls worked out a deal. The two men you left alive and able talk at first balked at talking, but then suspiciously changed their tunes after a few days in the city lockup. Someone got to them in lockup, Charlie, and got them to talk. Someone scared them into talking," she said.

"Do you think it was me?" he asked.

"Tell me," she said.

"It wasn't," he smiled.

She relaxed slightly.

"The shooters are now turning on Burke. He is being picked up today," Dani said.

Charlie looked from her to out the window. Burke had gone from a prince of the city, almost untouchable, to a man on the verge of doing hard time. And he was a man who once had been a cop and Charlie knew what that meant in prison. Burke would experience pain every day until he was either released or dead. The only thing that stopped Charlie from getting killed or experience pain until her was released was that he had learned to fight back and fight back hard. He told himself it was the Zen that pulled him through prison, allowed him to survive with even a hint of sanity, but the reality of it was that he survived prison because he became as violent, vicious con, who many in Pelican Bay feared. No, he never wanted to be that man again.

"Are you alright, Charlie?" asked Dani.

"Just thinking, Dani," he said then he turned his head and looked at her. "I'm doing fine."

She took her hand off the steering wheel and reached over to him for his hand. He took her much smaller hand in his. There was no reason to tell her that he loved her because she knew it, just like she knew that he trusted her.

"He was one of my father's men on the SWAT team," Dani stated.

Charlie knew what that meant. It was Dani's tentative way of asking if her father was involved in this. It was obvious that Burke joined the syndicate where Dani's father futilely tried to stay out of it.

"Will find out who set Burke up, Dani? Don't worry we'll find out," he said.

They finally arrived at Charlie's house. She parked her car in the spot her usually parked his Maserati. Both of them noticed one of Mickey Rayborn's limo's parked outside of his house. His driver was still sitting in the car. They both got out and hustled into the house to find Mickey Rayborn and Amanda Puryer sitting at the large dining room table having coffee and talking. Rayborn was laughing.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Charlie.

"Just talking to this delightful young woman, kiddo. Did you know that she is going to study Theology in school?" he said like he was impressed.

"Hey, Charlie, it's good having you home from the hospital," Rachel said. "Hi, Dani."

"You okay, Rachel?" Charlie asked her.

"I'm fine," she said looking at him nervously.

"Rachel, can you let Charlie and I talk to Mr. Rayborn for a few minutes then maybe we can order dinner or go for dinner," Dani said to her.

"Sure, Dani. I'll just be upstairs," she said then got up and disappeared.

"Amazing young woman considering what she has gone through," said Amanda Puryer.

Charlie and Dani sat down at the table across from Rayborn and his security expert.

"Isn't that something about Marty Burke, huh?" said Rayborn.

"Everybody turned on him, even those in lockup," said Dani.

"Yeah. The one in the hospital in need of two artificial knees because of you, kiddo, was real easy to turn. You left him with very little hope," said Rayborn.

"So, it was you that turned them," said Charlie.

"Well, not me personally," he smiled.

"Why? Why Burke?" asked Charlie.

"He was getting too big for his britches kid. The man had forgotten who put him in the position he was in. He forgot who was boss," said Rayborn.

"You needed him taken down. You set this all up," Dani said.

Charlie was fuming. He had been used by Rayborn.

"Did he even put the hit out on Connie?" asked Charlie.

"That's what those hired muscle will say," he smiled.

For a moment Charlie thought about taking his sidearm out and ending the life of Mickey Rayborn, but Dani presence sitting beside him brought him back from the abyss.

"I don't work for you," Charlie said. "I will never work for you."

"Come on, Kiddo, even though you don't work for me, it doesn't mean you aren't working for me," Rayborn smiled his reptilian smile.

"Mickey, we should get going," Amanda said and she gently placed her hand on top of his.

"That's right I've got a party tonight where the wife and kids and their kids are invited. I wish you were coming, kiddo," he said then stood up. "I value you more than all of them. Be seeing you, kiddo."

With that Mickey Rayborn and Amanda Puryer strolled out of Charlie's house. Dani placed her hand on top of Charlie's. She could feel that he was shaking with rage.

"We'll get him, Charlie. Eventually, we'll get him," she said.

He looked over at her and smiled. His green eyes brightened and the rage subsided.

"We?" he said.

"Yeah, Charlie, you and I. We," she smiled. "You're not getting rid of me, Crews. Without Reese, there is no Reese and Crews."

"Without Reese, there is no Crews," he said then leaned over and kissed her. "Love you, Dani."

"I love you, Charlie," she said then stood up. "Now let's get Rachel and go to dinner like a family, huh?"

"I'd like that," he said.

Charlie stood up and followed Dani. She was right that they would eventually get Rayborn, if for no other reason because Charlie finally had a life he wanted to protect.


End file.
